POLICE ROUNDUP

6 suspects arrested for stealing jeepney
CAMP DANGWA, Benguet -- Six carnappers were nabbed by police at Mabalacat, Pampanga, on Nov.2 and recovered a carnapped vehicle from Km 3, La Trinidad, Benguet. Police said on Nov. 1, Jackson Atiteo of Km 3 Ambiong, La Trinidad, Benguet, filed a complaint of carnapping at the regional police office here saying a parked Isuzu Jeepney with Plate no. AYM 755 with Roberto Dumaguing as the registered owner was caranapped seized while unattended at Km 3 midnight of Oct. 31.

Chief Sup. Eugene Martin, regional police chief was informed of the incident so he immediately coordinated with pertinent law enforcers to arrest the carjackers. In the morning of Nov. 2, the said vehicle was recovered by Pampanga and Cordillera police. Pampanga policemen including Mabalacat police were headed by Supt Manabay.

Six suspected carnappers were arrested while in the act of dismantling the vehicle and were identified as: Johnny Batiil, Angel Alayugen; Kristen Balancod, Dario Pangilinan; Ronald Allan Rivera Jr., all from Cordillera and Jonie Cabusog of Mabalacat, Pampanga. The suspects are now detained at the Benguet provincial jail after charges were filed against them.


Former Tarlac barangay chief, vendor nabbed for violating gun ban
TARLAC CITY – An ex-barangay chairman and a vendor were arrested Nov. 7 by operatives of Oplan Bilis Tugis in separate incidents for violation of the gun ban at Sitio Paquillo, Barangay Care and in Barangay Sto. Cristo. Supt. Eden T. Ugale, City police director, identified suspects as Jesus Ramos, 53, farmer and a former chairman of Barangay Care and Alex Amposo, 31, a native of Marawi City and temporarily residing at Block 7 in Sto. Cristo, this city. Authorities said Ramos was arrested by police led by SPO4 Cesar Lapitan.

Found in his possession was a Cal. 45 hand gun. Amposo was arrested after suspect was caught holding a Cal. 22 magnum handgun while he was chasing his own brother Almin Amposo, 27, because of business conflict. Suspects failed to show pertinent papers to possess and carry the firearms and are now in police custody. – George Trillo


Pampanga cops told: Meet new bocaps to stop crime
SAN FERNANDO CITY Pampanga – The provincial police director here ordered on Nov. 7 all field commanders to strengthen their “ugnayang barangay” activities to monitor illegal activities in their community even as he denied the existence of jueteng and the so-called “bookies” in the province. Sr. Supt. Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director, directed all chiefs of police in Pampanga to initiate close coordination with their newly elected barangay officials as a scheme of strengthening the police’s barangay intelligence networks.

Singian stressed the importance of police joining forces with the barangay officials in fighting illegal gambling and drug trade in the province. “These barangay officials often have vital information that could be used by the police in preventing the commission of crimes and in conducting operations against fugitives and crime syndicates and illegal gambling,” Singian said.

Singian added police can be more effective in its campaign against all forms of illegal activities if they can get the support of the community especially barangay officials. -- Mar T. Supnad


Abra peace efforts instrumental in less election violence
BANGUED, Abra – The peace initiatives of various sectors in this conflict-stricken province was instrumental in significantly reducing election-related violence during the recently-concluded barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections here.

This was disclosed by Chief Supt. Eugene G. Martin, regional director of the Police Regional Office, who added police and election authorities were able to record an almost zero occurrence of election-related violence compared to previous elections.

It was learned that in the 2002 barangay and SK elections, the police recorded 15 election-related violence compared to only one violent incident during the Oct. 29 barangay elections.

Martin attributed the significant gains on peace initiatives in the province to the concerted efforts of the Church, politicians, civic groups such as the Concerned Citizens of Abra for Good Governance and the people who expressed their denunciation of violence in the province. According to him, another vital factor in the reduction of the election-related violence is the peace agreement signed by the warring politicians of Tineg, Abra, particularly the Crisologo and Binwaren clans, which paved the way for the giving up of violence and a critical collaboration for both camps to ensure the development of the remotest town of Abra .

Earlier, Church leaders and various sectors of the province, including concerned politicians, vowed to spearhead peace initiatives starting with the barangay and SK elections to erase the bad image of Abra as the “killing fields of the North” to spur the much desired economic progress and lasting peace.

Martin said peace initiatives in Abra would be a long-term process that would entail a lot of sacrifice from both the members of the law enforcement agencies and the public so that the people especially those in far flung communities could have a feel of the fruits of a peaceful and developed community and not live in fear.

He said results of the Oct. 29 barangay and SK elections is an indication that Abra is gaining headway in its effort to erase its negative tag and move on to become one of the most peaceful province in Northern Luzon in the future. – Dexter A See


PNP, AFP in joint squad tactics training
SAN JUAN, Ilocos Sur – To boost their skills in the anti-insurgency program, the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office and 50th Infantry Battalion recently held a joint Army and PNP squad tactics training at the 50th IB Headquarters here as part of the interoperability enhancement program of the two agencies involved in the government’s counter-insurgency campaign.

The special joint training, through the initiative of Senior Supt. Roman Felix, provincial director of the Ilocos Norte PNP, and LT. Col. Roy Devesa, 50th IB Battalion commander, is part of the overall plan crafted by the Ilocos Norte Internal Security Coordinating Committee to enhance the internal security operations capability of both forcers in the province. The Ilocos Norte ISCC has been activated recently to synchronize efforts of the AFP and PNP forces in the province.
Devesa said the creation of the provincial ISCC is mandated under EO 546 issued by President Arroyo. The PNP contingent participating in the joint training is from the 1st PMG of Ilocos Norte.

Devesa said the training will last for 15 days and the participants are expected to acquire knowledge and procedures. The joint training will also improve the cohesiveness of small unity organizations of both forces.

“There will be an exchange of ideas on how to further improve the skills of each member of the team. And this will not end here, there will be more training program in the future to improve their competence, build up confidence and boost the morale of the two forces,” Devesa said. -- Myds Supnad