Bato wants zero casualty

Police station commanders who fail to solve within 24 hours illegal gun discharge cases during the New Year celebrations will be sacked, the Philippine National Police chief said on Tuesday.

“We want zero death, zero [injury] caused by illegal discharge of firearms and indiscriminate firing during the New Year celebration,” Director General Ronald dela Rosa told reporters.

The PNP chief said he would also institute command responsibility over celebratory gunfire casualties.

If at least two police station commanders from a provincial district would be relieved, the provincial director would also be relieved, he said.

If two provincial chiefs would be relieved, the regional chief would also be relieved.

Dela Rosa called on police station chiefs to deploy patrols from 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 5 a.m. on New Year’s Day to deter and respond to indiscriminate firing and illegal discharge of firearms.

The station chiefs must submit their deployment plans to the PNP directorate for operations by Dec. 31 and submit activity reports by Jan. 3, he said.

“I’m doing this so that we are focused on this task. To the station commanders, provincial directors and regional chiefs, supervise your men properly so we can achieve zero casualty,” Dela Rosa said. —JEROME ANING