No need to muzzle cops' guns but Acorda warns vs breaking his trust on police professionalism
Police Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), warned all uniformed personnel on breaking his trust that they would not fire their firearms indiscriminately especially during the New Year revelry.
Acorda issued the statement as he insisted that there is no need to go back to the traditional muzzling of the barrel of the service firearms of policemen for the Yuletide season.
“Nothing changes, I believe in the attitude of our police officers,” said Acorda.
“Our policemen are professional, respectable and I expect that our police officers will act accordingly,” he added.
This developed as the PNP continues to strictly implement security measures against the use of guns in Christmas and New year revelries across the country.
So far, only one indiscriminate firing was recorded while six operations were conducted successfully against the illegal sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials.
Acorda said what they want to achieve is zero case of indiscriminate firing-related deaths or injuries.
In 2021, a total of 11 people were injured by stray bullets. The figure increased to 12 in 2022.