By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Police Colonel Leo Pamittan, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here, reiterated the enforcement of a one-strike policy on police chiefs in relation to stray bullet incidents in the province during the celebration of New Year.
Police Lieutenant Judesses Catalogo, Nocppo’s public information officer, said that a police chief or station commander will face administrative sanction, or can be relieved from his or her post if there’s even only one stray bullet incident in their areas of jurisdiction.
Catalogo said that this is in relation to the Oplan Ligtas Kapaskuhan 2022 of the provincial police office, considering that the police have intensified its campaign against indiscriminate firing.
They reminded those in the public who possess a firearm not to use these weapons during the holiday season.
“Kung magpapaputok ka ng iyong baril sa hangin upang ipagdiwang ang bisperas ng bagong taon, maaari mong kitilin ang buhay ng ibang tao, makasuhan, at makulong sa mahabang panahon,” Nocppo said in a Facebook post.
Catalogo said there was also no need to tape or seal gun barrels of police officers to discourage them from indiscriminate gun firing.
Aside from that, Catalogo said they are also strictly implementing Republic Act 7183 which regulates the sale, manufacture, distribution, and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
“Through information campaigns, policemen can lessen the cases of firecracker-related incidents,” he added.
As of Dec. 30, Catalogo said that three firecracker-related incidents in the province were reported to the police.
Catalogo said the first incident victimized a 12-year-old boy who was wounded after a “boga” or an improvised cannon exploded on his right eye on Dec. 21 in Bago City.
Four days later, a 45-year-old tricycle driver was also wounded when a whistle bomb exploded on his right hand in Bago City on Dec. 25, he added.
Catalogo also said that an elderly man was injured when he was hit by a blast from a firecracker in Isabela town on Dec. 25.
Deployment
Meanwhile, Catalogo said that at least 2,400 policemen and force multipliers were deployed in the province to secure the welfare of the general public during the holiday season.
Of the figure, 1,300 were uniformed personnel, while the remaining were force multipliers deployed in various areas in the province, he added.
The deployment of personnel will be until Jan. 6, as they will also intensify police visibility in beach resorts, and other coastal areas on Jan. 1, since there will be an influx of people in these venues after the New Year’s celebration, Catalogo said.
