Cops to stray bullet victims: Go, file cases

CEBU, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) is urging the victims of three separate stray bullet incidents last New Year's Day to pursue charges against the culprits.

The 2022 Christmas and New Year celebrations in Lapu-Lapu saw the highest number of stray bullet incidents since 2017, according to police data.

The last time a stray bullet incident was reported in the city was five years ago.

The same data showed that 2022 ranks third in terms of number of firecracker-related injuries with 9, trailing behind 2019 (11 injuries) and 2018 (14 injuries).

Police Colonel Elmer Lim, (LLCPO) director, said on Tuesday, January 3, the recent stray bullet victims, including a 15-year-old, all sustained minor injuries and were already discharged after treatment.

Lim said all victims decided not to pursue a case against their culprits, but he said they would try to convince witnesses so the police could file appropriate charges on the victims' behalf.

He reiterated that it is essential for the culprits to face legal consequences for them not to repeat their illegal acts.

Under Article 254 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, any person who shall shoot at another with any firearm shall suffer the penalty of prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods unless the facts of the case are such that the act can be held to constitute frustrated or attempted parricide, murder, homicide or any other crime for which a higher penalty is prescribed by any of the articles of the Code.

Lim said all suspects of indiscriminate firing during the last holiday season, whether they possessed licensed firearms or not, would be held liable, especially since the City issued a gun license suspension during those times.

He stated that among their continuous intervention to eradicate cases of indiscriminate firing is conducting anti-illegal firearm campaigns.

In 2022, Lim shared, the LLCPO yielded 127 unlicensed guns, higher than the 77 registered in 2021.

The police office also gathered a total of 27 surrendered firearms for 2022.

Additionally, Lim pointed out that some of the problems they saw with those individuals indiscriminately firing their guns and others committing crimes are that they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

"Mao lagi ni ang atoang gyung problema ani kining mga tawo nga siguro under the influence of drugs or ilimnong makahubog...na wala nay lingaw magpabuto lang," said Lim.

[This is the problem we always have with these people who are probably under the influence of drugs or alcoholic beverages...who may have become bored and suddenly decided to just discharge their firearms.]

He said with their ongoing and intensified anti-illegal drug campaign, they hauled about P319 million worth of drugs or the equivalent of about 47,000 grams for 2022.

The figure, he said, represents at least 58.62 percent increase in terms of gram confiscation from about 19,000 grams or P132 million worth of illegal drugs in 2021. (FREEMAN)