PARAÑAQUE CITY — A police officer was arrested after allegedly firing his gun in front of three minors in Barangay Sun Valley, Parañaque City, early Christmas morning, according to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

The incident occurred at around 12:10 a.m. on Culdesac Road, when the 28-year-old patrolman, assigned to the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, confronted three children aged 10, 12, and 15 for making noise and lighting firecrackers.

Based on the complaint, the officer allegedly drew his PNP-issued 9mm pistol and fired shots in front of the minors, causing fear and emotional distress. The children, accompanied by their guardians, filed complaints for grave threats under the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, as well as illegal discharge of firearms.

Police recovered a PNP-issued firearm with a magazine containing three live rounds and one spent 9mm cartridge case from the suspect.

NCRPO chief Anthony Aberin condemned the act, saying there is no place in the police force for abuse, especially when children are involved. He stressed that being a police officer does not grant license to intimidate or use violence and assured that the law would be applied regardless of rank.

The suspect is currently detained and faces both criminal and administrative charges.

A Gun Is Not Discipline, and a Badge Is Not a Shield

This incident should outrage the public, and rightly so. A police officer firing a gun in front of children is not a lapse in judgment. It is a betrayal of duty.

Law enforcement exists to protect, not terrorize. Drawing a firearm to silence minors on Christmas Day shows a dangerous misunderstanding of authority. Noise and firecrackers are not capital offenses. Children are not threats. A gun is never a tool for discipline.

The damage here is not only emotional trauma inflicted on three minors. It is the erosion of trust. Every time an officer abuses power, the uniform loses credibility. Communities become more fearful. Parents become less willing to seek help. That harm lingers long after shell casings are collected.

The NCRPO’s condemnation is necessary, but words are not enough. Accountability must be swift, visible, and severe. Administrative penalties quietly imposed will not restore public confidence. Criminal liability must be pursued to its full extent.

This case also exposes a deeper problem. Firearms training without emotional discipline is a liability. Authority without restraint is a risk. Policing requires judgment, patience, and respect for life, especially the lives of children.

A badge is not immunity. A gun is not authority. And fear is not law enforcement. If the system fails to draw that line clearly, it will keep failing the very people it claims to serve.