A total of 114 individuals have been arrested for various criminal offenses related to merry-making activities during the holiday season, the Philippine National Police said.
Citing figures from the PNP National Operations Center, PNP Chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome said one person was killed while 422 others were injured in 408 separate incidents of medical emergencies.
Bartolome said those arrested include 15 persons apprehended by PNP units for gun-related offenses while 99 were arrested for violation of the firecracker law, mostly found selling or in possession of prohibited fireworks and pyrotechnic devices.
“Overall, the entire holiday season was celebrated under generally peaceful and orderly conditions,” Bartolome said.
The Chief PNP also noted casualty figures recorded by the Department of Health showed fewer firecracker-related injuries during this holiday season.
Last January 2, Bartolome officiated the ceremonial unsealing of tapes covering the barrels of cops’ service firearms. During the ceremony at Camp Crame, Bartolome announced that two policemen and a soldier and seven other persons have been charged with indiscriminate firing of guns before and during the New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Bartolome named the officers as PO2 Fulgencio Sedeco and PO2 Efren Dimaiwat and Corporal Reynold Reyes, security guard Noel Briones.
Bartolome said PO2 Dimaiwat eluded arrest, leaving at the crime scene several spent shells from a 9-mm handgun. The shells are now subject to ballistics examination.
