PAGADIAN CITY: PNP provincial director
S/Supt. Sofronio Ecaldre led Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office (ZSPPO)
police personnel in gagging up and sealing all service firearms, Monday morning.
Right after the flag raising
ceremony, Ecaldre ordered the sealing and said this is neither a form of
restriction on firearm use nor a sign of distrust on the part of the commanders
but a show of commitment in compliance with the PNP directive.
The muzzling of firearms was done at
Camp Abelon, the provincial headquarters, while police chiefs did the same at
their respective police stations.
Ecaldre’s command covers city
police station and 26 municipal police stations with more than 1,000 roster of policemen.
He warned his officers and policemen
that indiscriminate firing outside the call of duty is tantamount to administrative
and criminal charges.
Inspection and removal of the seal will
be held in January, next year.
Likewise, Municipal Police Stations
are implementing in batches the inventory and sealing of all issued service
firearms in the area using signed pieces of masking tapes.
It is being monitored by Camp Abelon,
said Ecaldre.
By Tuesday, this city’s policemen led
by Chief P/Supt. Glenn Dulawan also sealed their service firearms.
So far, only one fatality of stray
bullet in last year’s Jan. 1 revelry was recorded, Dulawan said this is a 66
percent reduction of injuries. (WITH REPORTS BY JONG CADION)