“No mercy kami sa inyo, wala kaming patawad”
PO1 Daniel Castillo, 29, has been caught on CCTV, drunk and making a scene, and was also reported as having fired his service firearm during New Year’s celebrations. Castillo was still wearing his uniform and was on active duty during the incident.
PNP Director Gen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, shares “No mercy kami sa inyo, wala kaming patawad. You will face the full force of the law.”
In a surprising move, Dela Rosa chose not to seal the PNP’s service firearms with masking tape, a move that he says, shows that he trusts all of the police officers under him.
Traditionally, all PNP service firearms are sealed with masking tape to act as a deterrent for police officers not to fire their weapons indiscriminately. Whoever has been found with a broken seal would be sacked from the force.
PO1 Castillo will be investigated, and will be facing summary hearings regarding the incident, he will most probably be dismissed from the service according to reports.
There have been 23 reported cases of indiscriminate firing
From December 16, 2016 to January 2, 2017, there have been 23 reported cases of indiscriminate firing nationwide. Out of these 23 reported cases, 19 have been arrested, including one police officer, and one member of the AFP.
Additionally, there is an ongoing investigation regarding reported cases of 4 police officers as well as 3 members of the armed forces regarding indiscriminate firing during New Year’s celebrations.
Hopefully in the future, there will be no more reported cases of indiscriminate firing, especially during holiday celebrations.
Go to the next page to learn more about safety from stray bullets.
How can we protect ourselves from stray bullets?
Stray bullets are always a scary thought, especially during New Year’s or holiday celebrations. That’s why we should know how to keep ourselves and our family safe. Here are some helpful tips:
- Report all cases of indiscriminate firing in your area. This can potentially save a lot of lives and injuries caused by stray bullets.
- Lean against a strong wall, or under a thick roof if you hear any sounds of gunshots, or any loud bangs, especially since it can be hard to know the difference between a gunshot, and a loud firecracker.
- If your house has a second floor, it’s best for you and your family to stay on the first floor, as it lowers the chances of getting hit by a stray bullet.
- The best way to prevent stray bullets would be to ask your friends and relatives who own guns, to not fire them during a celebration. There are a lot of other safer ways to celebrate the New Year which don’t involve firing a firearm.
Hopefully, these tips can help you for next year!
Sources: youtube.com, gmanetwork.com
READ: 15-year-old girl critical after being hit by stray bullet
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