13 partisan armed groups in Ilocos closely watched

CAMP FLORENDO, San Fernando City, La Union -- Police are closely monitoring activities of politicians in the Ilocos region in a bid to dismantle 13 partisan armed groups there before the May elections.

Chief Supt. Constante Azares, regional police chief said the Ilocos region had four violent incidents the past few months so they were consolidating efforts to prevent this from escalating.

“We have filed charges and have been working for the solution of other violent incidents in our turf. And my men have dedicated teams to prevent the (partisan armed groups) in our area from conducting harassment and other forms of violence against supporters of rival candidates,” Azares said.

He refused to identify the politicians listed by the Directorate of Intelligence in Camp Crame as maintaining private armies, saying they are still validating intelligence reports.

“My men are still in the field validating the intelligence reports. Those maintaining (armed groups) are all politicians and we are making sure their movements would be curtailed before and after the May elections,” he said.

Azares said his command has neutralized five suspected members of partisan armed groups, three of whom he identified as Armando Flores and Nicolas Laroya, both from Pangasinan, and Alvin Uniag from Naguilian, La Union.