Indiscriminate firing photos spread

MANILA, Philippines - Police are looking for a Facebook account user for uploading photos of his friends who seemed to be firing guns in Ilocos Sur purportedly during the New Year’s Eve revelry.

On New Year’s Day, a certain Drew Lutchina uploaded 24 photos on his Facebook account, one of which showed a man posing before the camera while holding a red plastic dipper nearly filled with spent shells for an M-16 rifle.

Lutchina posted a shoutout, “New Year’s eve… happy new year. Welcome 2015,” and tagged a certain Geronimo Gapusan Gomez and 16 others in his post.

Other posts indicated the photos of Lutchina were taken in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

On Saturday, the photos were shared 94 times and had at least 24 likes. The account also featured a video of the firing spree, which on Saturday was viewed over 3,000 times and had 145 shares.

A search for Geronimo Gapusan Gomez yielded a single Facebook account. Lutchina’s Facebook account, on the other hand, could not be searched and is believed to have been deactivated.

Lutchina’s posts were also shared by Army Maj. Harold Magallanes Cabunoc in his Facebook post, in an effort to get the attention of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and to hold accountable those involved in the indiscriminate firing.

A concerned netizen identified some of those in the Facebook post as Philip Andrew Funtanilla, Ian Christofer, Jomar Cabreros, Mark Angelo Palazo and Geronimo Gomez.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said police are investigating all the incidents of indiscriminate firing of guns, particularly those which went viral on Facebook.

“Senior Superintendent Benjamin Hulipas, the Regional Chief Directorial Staff of the Police Regional Office 1 (is) to direct the police provincial director of Ilocos Sur to conduct investigation and to submit report of their action taken,” Mayor said.

PNP deputy spokesperson Senior Superintendent Robert Po said they are checking the identity of those people in the post and validating whether the firearms used are licensed.

“Whether it is licensed or not, the police investigation can be started by interviewing persons or who may act as witnesses so that appropriate criminal charges will be filed,” Po said.

After Lutchina posted the photos on Facebook, a certain Philip Andrew Funtanilla reposted the album showing six men indiscriminately firing their rifles and handguns.

The account was still accessible on Saturday but it could not be found on Sunday. Some concerned netizens saved and shared the information to help authorities track them down.

Netizens, who have been vigilant in monitoring illegal activities like indiscriminate firing, urged the PNP to take action against the gunslingers.

Several cases of indiscriminate firing occurred despite the stern warning of the PNP.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the PNP has recorded 61 stray bullet incidents and 43 people injured nationwide.

An 11-year-old girl died in Tayum, Abra hours after she was hit by a stray bullet in the head and investigators have yet to identify the person responsible.

Metro Manila has the most number of stray bullet incidents, followed by Western Visayas with 13 cases.

PNP records indicated the figures were higher than the 30 stray bullet incidents reported during the 2013 holidays.

In an update, the PNP said 14 of the 43 injured were from Metro Manila, followed by Calabarzon with seven, Western Visayas with six, and Cordillera with five injured victims.

The PNP has recorded 24 incidents of illegal discharge of firearms, nine of which happened in Metro Manila.

Mayor said 17 people were arrested for indiscriminate firing – seven policemen, four security guards and six civilians.

Mayor said the apprehended policemen were from Metro Manila with four incidents, Calabarzon with two, and Davao with one incident.