THE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it recorded a “generally peaceful and orderly” celebration of the New Year with only three revelry incidents recorded.

PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief, Colonel Redrico A. Maranan, said that from Saturday to Sunday, the celebration was “resoundingly” safer than in previous years except for two indiscriminate firing incidents without victims that were reported in Iloilo and Quezon City.

The official said that one civilian and a member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) were arrested by responding policemen for involvement in the two indiscriminate firing cases.

Maranan said there was only one reported stray bullet case in which the victim was injured in his wrist but has already been pronounced out of danger. The case happened in Iloilo City, with the suspect also arrested.

PNP Chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has ordered the filing of appropriate criminal charges against the accused.

“We assure that appropriate charges will be filed against those individuals who violated the law against indiscriminate firing. We have [constantly been] reminding our gun owners/holders to be responsible at all times in using their firearms and so [as] not to harm innocent people. That these should not be used as a device for making noise in welcoming New Year,” the top cop said.

Generally, these isolated cases were significantly minimal since the majority of the country still experienced a relatively peaceful New Year, the PNP chief said.

“Our next step is to coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) to gather data on firecracker-related injuries,” Azurin said.

Last Sunday’s New Year revelries also took place with fewer firecrackers used by Filipinos, with Maranan saying it has proven that discipline can still be attained while having this merry-making moment meaningful.

PNP records showed that from December 16 to 31, 2022, a total of 23 persons were arrested for the illegal possession, use or sale of banned firecrackers. Also confiscated from the suspects were nearly P854,000 worth of banned firecrackers.

The PNP’s full alert status and the heightened deployment of uniformed and plainclothes officers nationwide have made the country “generally peaceful” as it welcomed 2023, said Azurin.

“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat lalo na sa ating publiko, sa kanilang kooperasyon at sa pagsunod sa mga alituntunin na ipinapatupad na nagbunga ng ligtas at masaya nating pagsalubong ng Bagong Taon,” the PNP chief said.

‘Zero incident in Metro Manila – NCRPO’

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Police Major Gen. Jonnel C. Estomo said the New Year celebration throughout Metro Manila was peaceful and orderly as the whole region recorded “zero” major incidents.

The NCRPO chief said there were no reported major firecracker-related incidents, including any injury from stray bullets, indiscriminate firing, or firecracker-related conflagration during the New Year’s eve festivities.

Estomo attributed this achievement to their intensified implementation of “Ligtas Paskuhan 2022″ through their S.A.F.E. (Seen, Appreciated and Felt by the people through Extraordinary actions) NCRPO Program, which minimized the crimes and incidents during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“The metro-wide celebration of December 31 New Year’s Eve revelry was resoundingly safe and peaceful. These positive developments could be attributed to our early preparations and consistent implementation of various measures,” the official said.

He added that the ban on the use and sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnics also contributed greatly to their effort to ensure peaceful New Year celebrations.

Estomo said his men arrested seven violators of the firecracker ban, two for involvement in the illegal discharge of a firearm, and seized an estimated P1.2 million worth of prohibited firecrackers in the region.

He also acknowledged the support and cooperation of the public in the realization of a peaceful and injury-free New Year celebration, even as he noted that no policemen were reported to have fired his service firearm during the New Year festivities in the metropolis.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director Brigadier Gen. Nicolas D. Torre III said that his men arrested a Philippine Coast Guard member for indiscriminately firing his gun in Barangay Kaligayahan past 8:30 p.m. last Saturday (December 31, 2022).

The accused yielded a caliber 9mm pistol with two magazines containing seven live ammunition. Officers from the QCPD Station 13 under Lieutenant Colonel Vicente Bumalay Jr. also recovered seven spent cartridges said to have been fired by the accused. By Alfred Dalizon & ZAIDA DE LOS REYES