By AARON B. RECUENCO
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will no longer compel its personnel to muzzle the barrel of their service firearms as part of the traditional security measures against indiscriminate firing.
PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said this will be the second year that he implemented the policy of not muzzling the barrel of the guns with tapes.
“We have already stopped doing that last year then what happened. The result was very positive. No policeman was charged with indiscriminate firing,” said Dela Rosa.
In the past, the PNP leadership is holding the ceremonial muzzling of firearms with packaging tapes with signature of commanders following the rising number of indiscriminate firing.
In some cases, there were policemen who were either caught or were the subject of the complaint of indiscriminate firing.
But dela Rosa said he is banking on the trust and confidence on his men that they would not defy his order, noting the harsh penalty that await for them.
“I don’t think we need to that again. We trust our policemen that they will not do that,” said Dela Rosa.
Besides, Dela Rosa said he expects policemen to be very busy during the Holidays for security measures and for strict compliance on his order for a one-strike policy on indiscriminate firing-related deaths.
It was recalled that Dela Rosa vowed to immediately relieve and subject to administrative case the police commander of the area where indiscriminate- firing – related deaths would occur, especially during New Year revelry.
“If they fail to solve it within 24 hours, then they will be relieved,” said Dela Rosa.