PNP won't seal guns of personnel for New Year 2022

The Philippine National Police on Wednesday said that it will not again implement the sealing of gun muzzles among cops amid the New Year revelry.

In a video message, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Roderick Alba pointed out their organization wants to prove their personnel are more disciplined now.

“Kahit naman i-tape ang mga firearm (Even if we seal the muzzle of firearms), trigger happy  policemen would still fire if they want to,” he said.

“We want to prove that our officers are disciplined now,” he added.

For precaution, Alba said the PNP sets a policy that will hold accountable the chiefs of police and police commanders who will fail to take appropriate actions on cases of indiscriminate firing within 24 hours.

“Chiefs of police and police commanders may immediately face sanctions or even relief kahit na isang personnel lang nila ang naging pasaway (even if only one of their personnel violated the order),” he said.

Aside from the police force, Alba also warned civilian gun owners against indiscriminate firing during the New Year revelry.

Violators may face criminal charges and up to 30 days of jail time. For PNP personnel, they will face additional administrative cases and may be dismissed from service, Alba said.

In 2014 and 2015, the PNP had adopted the practice of taping the gun muzzles of police officers' weapons to discourage celebratory gunfire during the Christmas and New Year revelries.

The practice was discontinued during the stint of then PNP chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa.—AOL, GMA News