MANILA, Philippines — Despite an intensified campaign by the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ban law enforcers from firing their guns during the Christmas break, a rookie cop was arrested for indiscriminate firing in Tondo, Manila, Sunday night.

The suspect, identified as Police Officer 1 (PO1) Fulgenico Sideco, assigned at the Regional Headquarters Support Group of the National Capital Region Police Office, is now under the custody of the Manila Police District-General Assignment Section (MPD-GAS).

Initial investigation showed that the incident happened 11 p.m. along Simon Barona Street in Tondo.

Before the suspect's arrest, the MPD-Station 1 (Balut Police Station) received a call from hotline 117 regarding a "disturbance" in the neighborhood. When arresting officers arrived, they learned that the suspect allegedly fired his gun while having a drink with his friends in the area.

Because of this, the suspect was taken to the MPD headquarters for him to be able to shed light on the matter. Residents in the area claimed that the suspect poked his gun and fired his service firearm, while allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

His service firearm was already confiscated from him to prevent him from repeating the alleged offense.

Sideco did not admit nor deny the allegations hurled against him. He claimed that he did not know those who filed a complaint against him.

It is a yearly campaign of the PNP to rid its ranks of policemen who fire their service firearms during the Christmas break, especially during the New Year's Eve revelry, as the number of victims of stray bullets rose a few years ago.

To stop them from firing their guns, just to celebrate the New Year, the PNP devised a program in which masking tape is placed on the nozzle of their guns. The masking tape is signed by their immediate superior before the start of the Christmas break.

Upon a policeman's return to duty or during the time that he performs his duty, he is barred from taking off the masking tape off, unless it is really "necessary". Those found to have tampered with the masking tape or have it removed, were penalized accordingly by the National Police Commission.