NCRPO goes after trigger-happy revelers

MANILA, Philippines - Metro police chief Director Roberto Rosales ordered yesterday the deployment of police investigators within a 500-meter radius of areas where people were hit by stray bullets during the New Year revelry.

Rosales said the police investigators would gather evidence in the neighborhood “so the persons involved in indiscriminate firing would be identified and charged in court.”

“We want to gather witnesses who could possibly identify the culprits to make them answer for their wrong deed,” said Rosales in an interview.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) recorded at least 22 stray bullet cases in Metro Manila at the height of the New Year revelry.

Rosales strongly suspects the bullets that hit the victims came from “somebody who fired their guns some 500 meters away from where the victims are located.”

The NCRPO chief directed his five district directors and 37 station commanders to prioritize the identification of the suspects in the stray bullet cases in the first week of the month.

“They should be punished severely for others not to emulate them in the coming New Year celebrations,” said Rosales, referring to those behind the indiscriminate firing of guns during the revelry.

He cited the case of Police Officer 1 Nabu Jusay, assigned at the NCRPO’s operations division, who was caught indiscriminately firing his gun at his hometown in Sta. Ana, Cagayan province while he was on a holiday break.

Rosales ordered the conduct of summary dismissal proceedings against Jusay.

Rosales said NCRPO officials finished yesterday removing the tapes of the gun muzzles of policemen assigned in Metro Manila.

“I’ve just finished my inspections and I’m proud to report that nobody from among our men here in Metro Manila fired their guns to welcome the New Year,” said Rosales, adding that the NCRPO is waiting for the arrival of police officers who, like Jusay, went home to the province for the holidays.

Meanwhile, a Malabon police officer is facing dismissal for firing his gun during the New Year revelry, hitting a nine-year-old boy in the back.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Roberto Villanueva said Police Officer 2 Hector Medina, assigned at the station intelligence and investigation branch, was disarmed and restricted to the police station pending the results of an investigation. – With Pete Laude