UNLIKE in the previous years, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) will forgo the muzzle-sealing of all government-issued firearms this year under the directive of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald Dela Rosa in a bid to show that cops are “professional and disciplined” enough.
The muzzle-taping of handguns and rifles has become the practice of the police in the country for the past years as Christmas season draws near to identify policemen who indiscriminately fire their guns during holiday season.
In the weekly press conference Wednesday, December 14, DCPO Deputy Director for Operation Ireneo Caburnay said they will no longer conduct the yearly trend in order to administer discipline and promote responsible use of firearms among the policemen as part of the marching order of the PNP chief.
“If we will do muzzle-taping, it somehow shows that the police is still undisciplined in handling guns. Even if we sealed their guns or weld it, if the police really wants to fire, he will really fire,” Superintendent Caburnay said.
“We don’t have to daily inform the police because the moment they took their oath of office, they already know that it is prohibited to fire a gun if not on duty,” he said.
The practice of muzzle-taping, he said, only shows that even police officials distrust their own men such that they need to require them to seal the muzzle of their service firearms.
Last year, DCPO has not recorded any stray bullet incidents.
Caburnay reminds police officers to use their guns only if necessary.
He urged the community to report any police officers or civilians who illegally fire their firearms.