Cops to undergo ballistic tests

The entire 15,000-strong complement of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will submit their service firearms for ballistic tests starting today to determine who among them fired their guns during the Christmas Day revelry.

This developed even as Metro Manila police chief Director Edgar Aglipay noted that the Christmas Day revelry was generally peaceful with only one gunfight reported in Valenzuela and a small number of revelers injured by powerful firecracker blasts.

Seven fires occurred in Metro Manila and two robbery-snatching and two car theft cases were reported to his office, he said.

The NCRPO chief said the casualty figure and the number of incidents reported last Christmas Day is 50 percent less than the figure last year.

"The Christmas Day celebration was generally peaceful," said Aglipay in an interview. "And if the trend continues, we are expecting a noisy but casualty-less celebration of the New Year."

According to Aglipay, the policemen in the five police districts will be ordered to submit their firearms for ballistic tests during roll-call and formation. They will also be told to account for all ammunition in their possession, he said.

"We will determine whether any of the policemen’s firearms is positive of nitrate residue indicating they fired their guns. They also must account for ammunition issued them," said Aglipay.

Aglipay warned that those found violating the standing order of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza against indiscriminate firing would either be charged administratively or dismissed from the service.

The NCRPO chief also encouraged Metro Manila residents to report to him policemen, military personnel and civilians who fired their guns during the Christmas Day revelry so "they will be dealt with accordingly."

Starting today, Aglipay and officials of the PNP Firearms and Explosive Division (FED) will also conduct a thorough inspection of stalls and sidewalks where rampant selling of powerful firecrackers was reported.

"We will confiscate all firecrackers containing more than one teaspoon of gunpowder for violation of the firecrackers law," said Aglipay.

The ballistic tests on policemen’s firearms will be repeated after the New Year celebration, said Aglipay.

The NCRPO chief hopes that the ballistic tests and ridding the streets of powerful firecrackers would lessen the number of incidents and casualties during the New Year’s Day revelry.