Police officials in the city and province confirmed Wednesday there were no recorded stray bullet victim or any reported personnel who made celebratory gunfire during the celebration of the New Year.
Palawan Provincial Police Office (PPPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Ric Ramos said no police personnel indiscriminately discharged his or her service firearm during New Year’s Eve.
He added police chiefs in all municipal police stations (MPS) strictly monitored their team members to prevent any such incident.
“Wala tayong record ng mga illegaly discharged firearms [o] tinamaan ng mga ligaw na bala… negative tayo. Lahat ng mga hepe monitored niya ‘yong mga tao niya. Ibig sabihin noong eve ng mismong [December 31] pagpalit ng taon ay magkakasama ‘yong ating mga kapulisan kaya very impossible na magpapaputok sila kasi magkakasama sila sa isang area of responsibility. Mamo-monitor at mamo-monitor ‘yan. Automatic naman, if ever na may mga nagpapaputok, may magsusumbong at magsusumbong ‘yan kasi ‘yan naman lagi ‘yong binibilin natin,” said Ramos.
(We did not record illegally discharged firearms or individuals hit with stray bullets… negative. All chiefs of police monitored their personnel. That means midnight of December 31, during the changing of the year they were with their teams in their areas of responsibility so it’s impossible for anyone to fire his or her gun. They were monitored and monitored. If ever anyone fired, it’s automatic that someone will complain because that was what our reminder was all about.)
Puerto Princesa City Police Office (PPCPO) deputy chief Senior Superintendent Ronnie Bacuel on Monday said it is a matter of personal accountability among their personnel that helped contribute to a peaceful New Year celebration.
Bacuel said they are thankful no one among their police personnel subjected the PPCPO into an embarrassing situation concerning indiscriminate firing during the most important celebration of the year.
“Pumapasok dito ‘yong command responsibility. Once na ako halimbawa chief of police ako o station commander ako, [then] may na-involve na tao ako na ganoon [na nag-indiscriminate firing] despite na ang daming reminders, tatamaan din ako ng command responsibility for the failure to supervise,” he explained.
(Command responsibility is very important here. For example, if I am the chief of police or station commander, and one of my men got involved in indiscriminate firing despite the constant reminders, then I will also be accountable because of my command responsibility’s failure to supervise.)
Bacuel further stated they also conducted intensified information dissemination campaigns through an audio-playing mobile patrol which roamed around Puerto Princesa City the whole day of December 31.
The recorded audio gave the public a warning never to engage in celebratory gunfire in welcoming the New Year.
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