PNP admits difficulty tracing stray bullets

PNP. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The truth is, according to the Philippine National Police, it is difficult to trace the source of stray bullets that kill or injure people.

“We have to face the reality that there’s difficulty in building up a case against these individuals. We acknowledge that difficulty,” PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac said Saturday.

In spite of this, Sindac said, the PNP would continue to pursue the investigation “of each and every case of stray bullets.”

To date, the PNP said,  there have been two deaths and 29 injuries caused by stray bullets, a constant problem nationwide during the holiday season.

That the fatalities from the indiscriminate firing were children made it more heartbreaking, he said.

Last Friday, two-year-old Rhanz Angelo Corpuz of Ilocos Norte succumbed to his injuries while confined at the hospital. He was hit in the head by a stray bullet.

On Saturday, three-month old Von Alexander Llagas was laid to rest in Ilocos Sur. A bullet also hit the baby in the head while he slept during the New Year’s Eve revelry.

Other children were injured as well, according to a PNP report released late Friday afternoon. They include Margareth Diane Vocal, 2, of Caniogan village, Pasig City; Wilson Fulgencio, 8, of Tantangan, South Cotabato; Rosa Mia S. Deruta, 12, Brgy. Baclaran, Parañaque; and Jestoni Obrador, 13, of Calatagan, Batangas.

The adults injured were from different cities and provinces in the country. They were hit on the feet, chest, arm, head, and thigh.

Sindac called on the people to help law enforcers give justice to the victims of the stray bullets.

“We enjoin every member of the community to provide us any information to help us solve the cases,” Sindac said.

Sindac said that in determining the source of the stray bullet, a police investigator not only has to find the weapon, but also “establish the connection between the firearm and the gunman.”

“Every stage is a tall order. It’s not an excuse for us because one injury or one death is too many. That is why we are exhausting all means… to be able to find who were responsible for this,” Sindac said.

Sindac, however, expressed hope that Republic Ac 10591, the Comprehensive Firearm Law signed by President Aquino last year, would be able to help policemen “solve all cases in the future.”

The Chief Executive is himself a gun aficionado who often takes to the firing range and joins shooting competitions.

Sindac said that the law requires gun owners to submit the ballistics of their firearms, in effect giving authorities the “identity of the firearms.”

“Every bullet has its signature groove. It will help us trace the bullet back to the firearms… This will also help us minimize loose firearms,” Sindac said.