2 cops nabbed for indiscriminate firing during holidays

MANILA, Philippines — Two policemen are facing charges over illegal discharge of firearms during the holidays.

Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy spokesperson Supt. Chai Madrid said Police Officer 1 Arnold Gabriel Sabili of the Rodriguez Police in Rizal and PO1 Marbin Jay Pagulayan of Malate Police Station in Manila are facing charges following complaints.

Sabili reportedly fired his service firearm while enjoying Christmas Eve with his friends in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City.

Policemen from the Pasig City precinct 7 immediately responded to a call of indiscriminate firing that led to the arrest of Sabili.

Pagulayan, on the other hand, fired his firearm at a nearby ditch drainage in an effort to pacify his friends who were quarreling during Christmas Day in Tondo, Manila.

Policemen from the Manila Police District’s Raxabago precinct arrested Pagulayan and seized his 9mm firearm with its magazine still loaded.

Pagulayan argued he was only trying to pacify two of his friends who were quarrelling during their drinking session.

Pagulayan admitted firing his gun at a canal nearby to attract their attention.?The two policemen are examples of the PNP’s “Ligtas Paskuhan 2017” program to discourage indiscriminate firing during the holiday celebration.

The PNP said a total of seven persons were arrested for illegal discharge of guns, including Sabili and Pagulayan.

Five others including a barangay councilman in Ilocos region, two civilians from Central Luzon and Central Visayas were also arrested for indiscriminate firing.

A civilian was also arrested for indiscriminate firing in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija on Christmas Day. Armando Fajardo, a helper and resident of Barangay Cojuangco, was arrested following complaints from residents about his firing a .38 caliber revolver during a drinking spree with friends.

Police said there were a total of 12 incidents of illegal discharge of firearms nationwide from Dec. 16 to 26. Of the 12, there were five incidents in Metro Manila, two from Central Luzon and Central Visayas and one each from Ilocos, Bicol and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The PNP said seven other suspects in illegal discharge of firearms are being hunted, including five civilians in Metro Manila, a former militiaman in Bicol and a policeman in ARMM. Police said there were two incidents of stray bullets in Central Visayas and Region 13.?Records showed there were 12 persons arrested for illegal possession, use and sale of prohibited firecrackers nationwide.?Madrid said a total of 36,189 policemen were deployed in places of convergence, transportation hubs/terminals, route security and target hardening in the observance of the holiday season.

Western Visayas, on the other hand, reported a big decrease in crime during the holidays.

Police regional director Supt. Gilbert Gorero said there was a 88.43 percent decrease in crime.

“The decrease is not only attributed to all types of focus crimes and other non-index crimes but also to violation of special laws which are usually police initiated,” Gorero said. – Jennifer Rendon