MORE NEWS, LA UNION

Ilocos police to beef up campaign vs hired guns
By Jerry Padilla

SAN FERNANDO, La Union– Police intensified guns-for-hire in the region after seven hired killers from Ilocos Sur and Abra were identified as having allegedly killed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agent Edward Gautani Sr. and his 16-year-old son Edward Jr. in Candon City.

Two guns-for-hire were also believed to be behind the murder of Dr. Ruel Navalta, chairman of the surgical department of the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, here two weeks ago.

Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Versoza said they would not allow these hired guns to regroup before the elections because some of them are on police watch lists while others have pending arrest warrants.

“We will prevent them from being used (by politicians) during the elections. We are already conducting manhunt operations against those who have warrants of arrest,” he said.

Versoza added some hired killers are based in the Ilocos region and Abra, which is part of the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Chief Supt. Ramon Gatan, new Ilocos regional police director, vowed to address the problem on shooting incidents perpetuated by guns-for-hire.

“We will conduct an aggressive operation against guns-for-hire before the elections. We will neutralize these criminal elements,” Gatan said.

He assumed his new post vice Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman who was named chief of the Logistics Division at Camp Crame.

Gatan, a member of Philippine Military Academy’s Masikap Class 1977, said he would make it his priority to go after armed goons and guns-for-hire.

Gatan was the deputy for administration of the regional police at Camp Florendo and head of Task Force Bimmotobot, which investigated the shabu laboratory in Bimmotobot, Naguilian, La Union where a number of policemen led by Superintendent Dionicio Borromeo, former Dagupan City police chief, had been implicated.

“These (guns-for-hire) have been a primary concern of the Region 1 police in countering and neutralizing private armed groups, especially during elections. Just like what we did in Abra, we will strengthen our drive against them,” Versoza told media here Feb. 27.


GRO’s decomposing body found in well

AGOO, La Union — The decomposing body of a woman was found March з in a well behind the slaughterhouse in Barangay San Agustin, this town.

The victim was last seen alive on Feb. 24, 2009 when she was fetched by his boyfriend in her boarding house, police said.

Police identified the victim as Gie Dethosa, said to be a guest relations officer, native of South Cotabato, and resident of Barangay Sta. Rita Norte, Agoo.

Investigation showed the victim died of several stab wounds and injuries in the head caused by hard objects.

The victim’s neck was tied with a rope with a stone tied at the other end. Policemen brought the body to a funeral parlor here.

The victim’s boyfriend, identified as Juan Ramos, a butcher and resident of Barangay Capas, Agoo, is now being hunted by policemen. – Freddie Lazaro