JOB WELL DONE

“Congratulations and please pass the JOB WELL DONE to all. HAPPY NEW YEAR."

Thus said President Benigno S Aquino III as he extended his personal congratulations to PNP Chief, Director General Ricardo C Marquez for the effective law enforcement campaign that resulted in the “all-time low” casualty record during the New Year.

In his text message to the Chief PNP, President Aquino cited the report of Health Secretary Janette Garin on New Year’s day that showed only 384 medical emergency cases recorded by DOH.

“The confiscations done by PNP helped a lot,” Secretary Garin said.

These cases,the Chief Executive said is 57% lower than the 5-year average, and 53% lower than the recorded cases in 2015.

DOH hospitals performed only nine amputations and noted zero cases of firecracker ingestion, Secretary Garin reported.

The Health Secretary attributed the steep reduction in firecracker-related injuries to effective law enforcement by the PNP against prohibit`ed firecrackers.

For his part, the Chief PNP extended President Aquino’s congratulations to all PNP units down the line thru an official SMS sent out by the National Operations Center to all PNP regional, provincial and municipal police stations and precincts down the line.

President Aquino earlier directed the PNP to strictly enforce the nationwide ban on outlawed firecrackers and indiscriminate firing of guns durin the holiday season.

Reports culled by the PNP National Headquarters recorded the arrest of nine (9) persons for alleged indiscriminate firing of guns at the height of the Christmas and New Year revelry.

The PNP also reported the arrest of 22 persons for possession and sale of prohibited firecrackers, and the confiscation of Php1,127,629.00 worth of prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.

To complement aggressive law enforcement operations, the PNP, mainly thru the efforts of the Directorate for Police Community Relations (DPCR) under Police Director Wilfredo Franco and the Public Information Office (PIO) under Chief Superintendent Wilben M Mayor launched a massive public information and awareness drive in support of the DOH campaign against firecrackers.

The early campaign, operations and surprise inspections of the PNP on different fireworks selling establishments helped a lot to reduce the firecrackers and stray bullet incidents. The PNP encouraged the public post or upload videos and pictures in the social media of persons who used firearms in celebration of New Year or report to the nearest police station for immediate investigation and action. (PNP-PIO)