Fire guns and be fired, cops told

PNP Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome

Trigger-happy police officers who fire their guns during the New Year merrymaking would be dismissed outright from the service, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Tuesday.

PNP Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome ordered police stations nationwide to strictly enforce the prohibition on officers firing their guns to greet the new year.

“On top of the criminal charges [they will face], on the administrative side I want these policemen to be discharged. They have to be dismissed immediately from the police service,” he said.

“What they’re doing has nothing to do with their job. Not only do they put others in harm’s way, they violate specific laws, and therefore they should be dismissed immediately from the service,” Bartolome told reporters.

The PNP chief led the annual taping of the muzzles of policemen’s firearms at Camp Crame, an exercise aimed at ensuring that members of the 140,000-strong force would refrain from discharging their guns as the year turns over.

Many deaths and injuries around the New Year’s celebration are caused by stray bullets, after firecrackers. Filipino cultural belief has it that making plenty of loud noise on the new year would bring good fortune.

“It’s only a reminder—it’s not that we do not trust our policemen but it’s because we want them to be reminded always,” Bartolome said.

The tips of the policemen’s gun barrels were sealed with masking tape and signed by their unit commanders with a felt pen. A break in the signature would indicate the gun may have been fired.

As for private gun owners who fire their arms, Bartolome said they would face cancellation of their license and permit to carry.

“This serves as a warning not only to our police officers but also to everyone who owns a gun,” he said.