National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) official said the practice of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to seal the service firearms of police officers with masking tape during the holidays was unnecessary.

NAPOLCOM vice chairperson and executive officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the practice of taping the gun’s muzzle to deter them from indiscriminate firing is a thing of the past.

Calinisan added that any police officer who fires his or her firearm indiscriminately during the holidays will be held accountable, regardless of whether the gun had a masking tape seal or not.

I’m very sure that the members of PNP will not fire indiscriminately and that the men and women in uniform will make sure that the Christmas and New Year of each Filipino is safe, He added.

Earlier, the PNP warned police personnel and firearms owners that a one-strike policy will be enforced against cops who will commit indiscriminate firing during this year’s Christmas and New Year holidays.

The one-strike policy is meant to curb injuries and deaths related from indiscriminate firing.

Police officers will face both administrative and criminal charges if they are found to have committed indiscriminate firing of their guns.