Metro cops: Security guards not exempt from gun ban

With just a few days to go before New Year's Day, Metro Manila police reminded security guards not to fire their service firearms to welcome the new year. Radio dzBB’s Nimfa Ravelo reported on Wednesday that Metro Manila police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome warned that security agencies would suffer harsh penalties if their personnel welcome the new year with gunshots. Bartolome said that reports reaching him indicated that security guards accounted for many cases of indiscriminate firing in past New Year's Day revelry. He also reminded the public to be vigilant and to report cases of indiscriminate firing to the police. He assured would-be informants that their identities would be kept confidential. On Monday, Bartolome personally led the sealing of the firearm muzzles of police personnel in Metro Manila as a way to prevent them from firing their guns on New Year’s eve. He warned police personnel that severe administrative sanctions would be imposed on them if they were caught firing their weapons. “Ginawa natin ito as a reminder sa pulis natin na yung policy na ito hindi dapat i-violate. (Pero) pwedeng gamitin sa pagresponde sa criminal acts," Bartolome said in an interview on dzBB radio Monday. (We are doing this as a reminder of our policy that the firearms should not be used as part of revelry. But the firearms can be used to respond to criminal acts.) He said the sealing of the muzzles is in compliance with Philippine National Police chief Director General Raul Bacalzo’s order to policemen not to indiscriminately fire their firearms during the new year. Bartolome explained that taping the muzzles will not hamper the firing mechanism of the firearms should police personnel need to use them to neutralize criminals over the new year holiday. – VVP/DM, GMANews.TV