PNP, AFP vow to punish men who fired guns on New Year

PNP. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Police and military officials have vowed to penalize their personnel if found guilty of indiscriminately firing their guns during the holiday revelries.

Police Chief Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, Philippine National Police Public Information Office chief, said Thursday that administrative charges would soon be filed against three regional policemen arrested by their colleagues for unauthorized discharge of firearms.

The policemen, who are from Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Caraga regions, will not report to their posts but will attend to their charges of illegal discharge of firearms instead, he said.

In Western Visayas, a policeman was also apprehended after he was suspected of firing his gun, hitting a a stray bullet victim.

Included in the 15 arrested for the same charges is a military man from Ilocos Region.

Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Zagala, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, said that if the arrested soldier is proven to have fired his gun indiscriminately, the AFP would be forced to relieve him from military service.

Zagala said investigation on the matter was ongoing.

As of Thursday, the PNP also reported that two security guards from Manila and Calabarzon and one law enforcement agency personnel also from Calabarzon were arrested for violating the holiday gun ban.

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