PNP drive vs guns, banned ’crackers nets 20

Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Twenty individuals, including three regional policemen and a military man, were arrested for illegal possession of firearms, selling and using banned firecrackers and unauthorized firing of weapons, police said Monday.

As the casualties from stray bullets rose to 12, the Philippine
National Police has recorded three arrested policemen from Regions 5, 6 and 8 and an Armed Forces of the Philippines member from Region 1 for unauthorized discharge of firearms, PNP records said.

Of the 20, a security guard from Region 4A was also apprehended for the same charges.

Based on the tally released by PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Wilben Mayor, 15 civilians from Regions 1, 4A, 5, 6, and 9 were taken into the custody of the police for possessing, using or selling banned firecrackers.

Meanwhile, two victims from stray bullets have been added from Saturday’s tally of 10 victims.

The victims were identified as:
-Francisco Salazar, 19, from Sampaloc in Manila (hit in the left foot)
-Ginalyn Soncio, 32, from Polomok in South Cotabato (hit in the left arm)
-Donna Padol, 31, from Iloilo City (hit in the nose)
-Roberto Mariano Jr., 30, from Marikina City (hit in the right leg)
-Jay Abuniawan, 17, from Banate in Iloilo (hit in the right arm)
-Deo Tam-og, 22, from Itogon in Benguet (hit in the leg)
-Rommel Geroy, 40, from Naga city (hit in the left leg)
-Myra Medrano, 44, from Taguig City (hit in the leg)
-Jestoni Obrador, 13, from Calatagan in Batangas (hit in the middle toe)
-Ricardo Garbin, 26, from Taysan in Batangas (hit in the feet)
-Michael Epe, 23, from Polomolok in South Cotabato (hit in the left leg)
-Joseph Lopez, 30, from Marikina City (hit in the upper portion of his right chest)

In the overall assessment, one was killed in a fire incident caused by firecrackers.

‘Patriotic duty’

Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP Public Information Office chief, stressed the importance of complaints from the public who has information on people firing their guns indiscriminately.

“Identifying the sources of these violators is a tedious task that’s why we are calling the public for their patriotic duty,” he told the reporters Monday.

“We do not require the public to identify themselves in their
complaint. We just need the information from them that can provide leads to the suspects,” he added.

The public may report cases of indiscriminate firing at the nearest police station in their area, or may also text the information at 0917-847-5757 or report to PNP their complaints on Twitter or Facebook.

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