Soldiers will not seal firearms for New Year

Unlike the police, there is no order for soldiers to seal the muzzles of their firearms this New Year as an assurance that they will not fire them indiscriminately during the revelry. At a press briefing, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta said there is “no need for such action because “we believe in the discipline of our soldiers, officers and enlisted personnel." “We have not seen or monitored any problem regarding firing of our arms for whatever activity or occasion," said Mabanta. He said the military has an inventory system where they are able to monitor how the soldiers utilize the ammunition issued to them. Mabanta was quick to say however that they are not criticizing the decision of the Philippine National Police to seal the barrel of their firearms days before the New Year. “That’s their own system, but us in the Armed Forces, we believe that we do not need to institute those measures because we leave it to our commanders in the field to discipline [their men]," he said. The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has ordered the sealing of service firearms to prevent police from firing their guns to welcome the New Year. It also installed a hotline — 838-0515 — for the public to report indiscriminate firing incident. Victims of stray bullets are common in the Philippines during New Year celebrations. - KBK, GMANews.TV