Año orders cop sacked for indiscriminate firing

MANILA, Philippines — Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the dismissal of a policewoman who was allegedly caught indiscriminately firing her gun during the New Year’s Eve festivities in Malabon.

In a statement yesterday, Año said he does not tolerate the actions of S/Sgt. Karen Borromeo, 39.

“It doesn’t matter if she was having an argument with her live-in partner or fired her handgun to celebrate the New Year. What she did was against the law and she will be facing criminal and administrative sanctions and will be dismissed from the police service,” he said in a statement.

Borromeo was arrested after her neighbors reported to police that she fired her handgun in front of their house in Barangay Ibaba.

Borromeo’s partner filed her sworn statement with the city police on Jan. 1, saying the policewoman accused her of having an affair.

Northern Police District (NPD) director Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz said Borromeo allegedly fired her service firearm, a 9mm pistol, 14 times. The slugs were recovered by city police in front of her house.

She underwent a paraffin test and was found positive for gunpowder residue. She tested negative for alcohol and illegal drugs, the NPD reported.

She was found positive for gunpowder in the paraffin test, while her drug and alcohol tests yielded negative, the NPD reported.

The city police may charge Borromeo with alarm and scandal, Cruz said as he vowed to apply the full force of the law.