PNP skips gun muzzling for holiday revelries

MANILA, Philippines —  Expressing confidence that police officers will do what is right, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will again skip the sealing of the muzzles of service firearms of its personnel this year.

“We will implement the practice in previous years of not taping the guns of police officers,” the PNP’s chief publicist, Col. Jean Fajardo, said in a news briefing yesterday.

Fajardo said PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. made the decision as police officers have complied with the directive against indiscriminate firing.

Another factor is that it will be difficult for police officers to respond to crimes if their firearms are sealed, she said.

Fajardo warned police officers that they face dismissal and criminal charges if they fire their guns indiscriminately during the Christmas and New Year revelries.

She gave the same warning to other members of law enforcement agencies and other gun holders.

Data from the PNP showed 26 cases of illegal discharge of firearms in 2022 wherein 10 people were injured.

Fajardo said they have yet to receive reports of indiscriminate firing of firearms related to this year’s Yuletide season.