Jail ‘threat’ helped vs firecracker use

A POLICE “threat” to the public may have been among reasons why there was a decrease on firecracker-related injuries while welcoming the year 2018, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa said on Tuesday.

In a news conference, de la Rosa added that he had “motivated” and “encouraged” police regional directors all over the country to go “all out” against firecrackers, especially those who are illegally possessing them.

“What they did was they went around aboard their patrol cars equipped with sound system,” de la Rosa told reporters in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“Umikot sila nang umikot sam ga pal en gk eat mg amata taong lug ar at na g-announce na :‘ Sige kayo, kung gusto ninyomag- New Year doon sa police

station, mag paputok kayong labintador doon sa mga hindi designated na firecracker display zones o kaya magpaputok ka yong baril para do on kay o mag-New Year sa police station [The police made rounds in markets and crowded places, announcing: “Go on, if you want to spend New Year’s in police stations, light up those firecrackers in places that are not designated as firecracker display zones or fire your guns so that you can spend New Year’s in police stations],” he narrated.

With this, de la Rosa said the information drive of the PNP’s campaign against the use of illegal firecrackers was “effective.”

“It’s like a threat to the public that if they will violate the rules, they will get jailed,” he added.

On indiscriminate firing, de la Rosa said they will be shifting their attention to this issue later, adding that he was glad to announce that the “massive information campaign” of the police was “very effective.”

He also announced that there will be no police commander who will be sacked for negligence during the Christmas season. with policemen deployed all over the country to monitor any incidents involving indiscriminate firing and firecracker use.