NCRPO Records Decrease in Injuries, Fire Cracker Incidents This New Year

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) recorded a decrease in New Year-related incidents this year.

Based on NCRPO’s monitoring, data on indiscriminate firing, stray bullets, and firecrackers’ incidents are lower this year compared to the previous year.

From December 16, 2016 to January 2, 2017, the Metro Manila police force has recorded a decrease of fire cracker incidents to only 167 as compared to 881 firecracker incidents last year that wounded 880 and death of one person.

A tremendous decrease of 86 percent. Likewise, stray bullet incidents lowered to three (3) incidents compared to 14 last year. The NCRPO said that they are also investigating the case of Emmelyn Villanueva, a 15-year-old girl victim of a shooting incident while watching fireworks display in Malabon City.

NCRPO chief Oscar Albayalde assured Emmelyn’s family that the police force is speedily investigating the case. The case of indiscriminate firing also went down from four incidents last year to three incidents this 2017.

Albayalde assured that the three officers involved in indiscriminate firing identified as PO1 Ronel Pantig assigned in Pasig City Police Station, PO1 Daniel Castillo of Raxabago Police Station and CPL Lovelyson Cutas, member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be charged accordingly.

Castillo is now detained at Manila Police District, Cutas is detained Taguig City Police Station while Pantig is at large and subject for follow-up operation. Meanwhile, Albayalde commended all NCRPO personnel who closely monitored the incidents and casualties of indiscriminate firing, stray bullets and firecrackers during the Holiday season in accordance with the directives of the PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa.

The NCRPO chief also thanked the local government units and other partner agencies for their support and cooperation. (NCRPO/RJB/JEG/PIA-NCR)