MANILA, Philippines — The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has ordered the dismissal of a police officer whose government-issued pistol was utilized in a tragic school shooting in Tacloban City that claimed the lives of three students and injured several others.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, October 14, Napolcom announced that its en banc panel penalized Police Staff Sergeant Arla Ray Paciencia of the Regional Finance Service Unit of the Eastern Visayas Police.
Paciencia was found guilty of grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
The investigation revealed that Paciencia, who was on active duty on June 22, deliberately left her service 9mm pistol at home. Instead of storing the firearm in a secure safety vault as mandated by Philippine National Police (PNP) regulations, she kept it inside a plastic gun box placed within a plastic cabinet.
Napolcom emphasized that Paciencia’s gross negligence in properly securing her weapon directly triggered the sequence of events leading to the fatal incident at San Jose National High School, which was allegedly perpetrated by her 14-year-old nephew.
Alongside her dismissal from the police service, Paciencia faces the complete forfeiture of her retirement benefits and a perpetual ban from holding any public office.
The commission underscored that strict adherence to firearms safekeeping protocols remains a non-negotiable responsibility for all members of the police force.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice (DOJ) previously stated that the owner of the firearm will also face corresponding criminal charges.