PNP reports 89.47 percent decrease in stray bullet cases

The Philippine National Police reported Tuesday that the number of stray bullet cases during the New Year 2017 celebration was 89.47 percent lower than that of the same period in 2016.

PNP Directorate for Operations Director Chief Supt Camilo Pancratius Cascolan said they recorded four stray bullet incidents with four casualties during the 12-hour period from 5 p.m. of December 31, 2016 to 5 a.m. of January 1, 2017.

He said there were 38 stray bullet incidents with 27 casualties in the same period last year.

“Based on the records, there is a huge decrease on stray bullet incidents with 89.47 percent and stray bullet victims with 85.12 percent compared to last year’s incidents,” Cascolan said in a press statement. 

These were the cases of 15-year-old Emilyn Villanueva in Malabon, who was hit on the head and confined at the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital; 10-year-old Gian Penacilla in Tipas, Taguig, who was also hit on the head and still confined at a hospital; Zenaida Rodriguez in San Jose, Batangas, who was hit at the back of her ear; and Leomar Aquino in Batasan, Quezon City.

Indiscriminate firing

Meanwhile, there were four incidents of illegal discharge of firearms reported during the 12-hour period from 5 p.m. of December 31, 2016 to 5 a.m. of January 1, 2017 compared to one incident in the same period last year.

“This record shows that there were incidents of illegal discharge of firearms that were not reported last year,” said Cascolan.

He said this was a result of the heightened vigilance by PNP including maximum deployment as ordered by PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa.

Dela Rosa has ordered the recall of all personnel, even those who are on New Year’s break, and report to the nearest police office, unit, or station from their residences and form part of the patrol teams. 

PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos believes the vigilance of the people also helped lessen incidents of stray bullet and indiscriminate firing.

“We are very happy to say that apat lang 'yung stray bullet incidents this year because ‘yung taumbayan nire-report nila agad ‘yung nagpapaputok ng baril. So that’s a crucial participation of the citizenry in our campaign to keep safe our fellow Filipinos during the New Year revelries,” he said.

“May mga insidente ng indiscriminate firing in 2015 na hindi na-report. Ngayon nare-report na ang mga nagpapaputok ng baril,” he added. 

He said the PNP’s campaign was a success since there were fewer police personnel involved in indiscriminate firing despite the fact that the muzzles of firearms were not taped.

“Iniisip nila na 'pag nagpaputok sila ay ire-report sila ng taumbayan,” he said.

In 2015, two PNP personnel were involved in indiscriminate firing, 12 in 2014, and seven in 2013.

Carlos said that as of posting time, there is only one PNP personnel arrested for illegal discharge of firearms.

PO1 Daniel Castillo, assigned to Manila Police District Station 1, has been relieved from his post and is now under the custody of the MPD headquarters. Castillo, who was in his uniform, was seen firing his gun indiscriminately after he got drunk during the merrymaking, hours before the clock ticked to 2017. 

However, Carlos said they are pursuing four PNP personnel who were reported to have also fired their guns during the New Year revelries.

“As of today, nakita natin na mas less 'yung insidente ng indiscriminate firing. (with regard to) involvement of police, we have one right now. Sa apat, we will see kung sila nga ay involved. The four are still being asked to report para makapag-explain sila kung bakit ang pangalan nila ang lumabas sa indiscriminate firing,” he said.  

He believed those who engaged in indiscriminate firing do not represent the 170,000 PNP personnel who follow the directive of Dela Rosa.

“The PNP personnel are showing that we are disciplined. Kung meron mang nag-violate, that one person does not represent the 170,000. Ang majority sumusunod sa PNP chief at alam nila na ang taumbayan ay ire-report sila,” he said. —RSJ/KG, GMA News