The Philippine National Police has recorded 15 cases of indiscriminate discharge of firearms ahead of the New Year’s Eve revelry, with 10 of the lawbreakers taken into custody following the incidents between Dec. 16 and Dec. 29.
The 10 arrested included government personnel, one of them a police officer, the other a member of the Bureau of Corrections, and the third a security guard. The other seven were civilians.
A total of nine firearms were confiscated by the PNP.
By region, of the 15 cases of indiscriminate firing, six were from Calabarzon; four from National Capital Region; two from Central Visayas; and one each from Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.
The PNP also reported that four people were wounded due to indiscriminate firing while a fifth person was hit by a stray bullet. There were also four incidents of stray bullets.
READ: PNP units told: Ensure public safety as nation welcomes New Year 2025
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil on Sunday placed all police units nationwide on heightened alert to assist the public, particularly travelers and those facing emergencies.
He said that police units had been mobilized to maintain peace and order during New Year celebrations and ensure public safety.
“Our officers are trained and equipped to handle emergencies, from providing immediate first aid to assisting in fire response operations. We are ready to serve the public in every way possible,” Marbil said in a statement. INQ