Judgment day

The service firearms of 17,000 members of the Metro Manila police force will be checked today to determine possible violators of the "Silent Gun" directive issued by Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco, head of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO).

"We will see who among them failed to heed our call not to fire guns during the New Year revelry," Velasco told The STAR.

Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., warned cops of dismissal from the police service if they are found to have fired their guns in welcoming the New Year.

Reports reaching Velasco showed that there were 14 cases of indiscriminate firing in Metro Manila on New Year’s Eve. In the previous year, 20 cases were recorded.

Velasco will personally lead the checking of firearms of police units based at the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig following the flag-raising ceremony today.

The Metro police chief said the directors of the five police districts will be conducting similar activities at their respective headquarters.

"There will be a simultaneous checking of firearms and the result will be out in the afternoon," Velasco said.

In the days leading to the New Year, Velasco conducted rounds of the NCRPO and police districts headquarters, constantly warning policemen against indiscriminate firing of guns.

The Metro police chief, along with the district directors, also sealed with tape the muzzle of the firearms issued to off-duty policemen to remind them of the "Silent Gun" policy.

However, at least 5,500 policemen who were assigned to secure malls, commercial centers and vital government installations during the New Year celebration were exempted from the directive.

Velasco vowed to unmask those involved in indiscriminate firing of guns during Tuesday’s revelry.

"We will identify violators and charge them in the proper courts," he said.

The NCRPO is also checking reports reaching the Magic Eye Txt Patrol 2910 and other police hotlines to determine possible violators.