THE 6,314 personnel of Police Regional Office (PRO)-Cordillera must secure their guns and elude cases of indiscriminate firing this holiday season.
"For any PNP (Philippine National Police) member who will fire his firearm will suffer a very severe punishment or sanction like dismissal from the service," said PRO-Cordillera director Elmo Francis Sarona.
"For this year there is no need to tape the muzzle of firearms because members of PNP Cordillera are presumed a well disciplined bunch, each members knows that indiscriminately firing his firearms as a way to celebrate new year is unacceptable and strictly prohibited. Anyone who violates this clear directive will face severe consequences," Chief Superintendent Sarona added.
Following the no tape of muzzle last year, the PRO-Cordillera will implement the same measure this year. In the previous year, PRO-Cordillera noted zero indiscriminate firing.
Penalties for indiscriminate firing under the Article 155 of the Revised Penal Code, a fine not less than P10,000 but not exceeding to P40,000 awaits violators within any town or public place discharging any firearm or other explosives to cause alarm or danger.
In addition, offenders firing any firearm without a license may be prosecuted for the offense of illegal possession of firearm.
According to Sarona, PNP Chief Ronald dela Rosa has issued a policy that for any case of injury or death resulting from indiscriminate firing the chief of police concerned will be sanctioned and will be tasked to solve the case within 24 hours or will be relieved with corresponding sanction.