Mariano: Cops caught indiscriminately firing guns will be fired 

Police Colonel Roderick Mariano reminds policemen of covenant on indiscriminate firing of guns.| CDN Digital file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Policemen, who will be involved in any indiscriminate firing this coming New Year’s celebration, will be dismissed from service.

Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, Cebu Provincial Police Office director, said this that he had ordered police station commanders around Cebu province to monitor their policemen to make sure that they would not use their firearms as substitute for firecrackers this New Year.

Mariano said they would not be taping or muzzling policemen’s firearms because they might to need to use their guns when they would respond to emergencies.

Mariano reminded policemen under his command to be more responsible with their firearms and strictly warned them to only use their guns unless there would be operations where they would end up with an encounter with armed men.

“Nagkaroon kami ng covenant na once ma involve sila, talagang hindi sila papatawarin talagang ididismiss natin sila,” said Mariano.

(We had a covenant that once they will be involved (in indiscriminate firing), they will not be forgiven and will face dismissal.)

Mariano said since the police would be strongly implementing the banning of firecrackers and arresting those, who would also be involved in indiscriminate firing, and they could not afford for the police to be the ones breaking the law instead.

Last Christmas, there were no reported incidents of individuals from Cebu province injured due to indiscriminate firing, a case which Mariano said they hoped to maintain.

Mariano sad that each station in the municipalities and cities under the CPPO would continue to patrol their respective areas to ensure a safe celebration of New Year./dbs