MANILA, Philippines – There were no untoward incidents reported during the nine-day dawn masses and the Christmas Eve revelry in Metro Manila, a National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) official said yesterday.
As of 8 a.m. yesterday, the five police districts in Metro Manila recorded no incidents during the traditional simbang gabi and zero cases of indiscriminate firing, stray bullets and fires due to firecracker blasts.
NCRPO chief Director Joel Pagdilao congratulated the police officers for the feat, the first in so many years in Metro Manila.
“We were able to accomplish such feat through the hard work and dedication our officers and men in the field,” Pagdilao said in an interview.
As of press time, the NCRPO is still coordinating with the Department of Health on reports regarding firecracker blast victims.
Pagdilao saod the deployment of Special Weapons and Tactics and Special Reaction Unit teams in the vicinity of churches in Metro Manila prevented criminals from victimizing churchgoers during the dawn masses.
He said the zero incidents of indiscriminate firing could be due to Philippine National Police chief Director General Ricardo Sarmiento’s warning that he would dismiss police officers involved in such incidents.