POLICE ROUNDUP

Female cadre surrenders after finding true love

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad Benguet – A female cadre of the New People’s Army recently surrendered to police ending a life of hardship in the mountains after finding true love.

Cordillera police director ChiefSupt.IsaganiNerez, identified the surenderee as Priscilla Y. Silot Y Degiawe, 44, native of Lamag, Quirino, Ilocos Sur.

Priscilla reportedly joined the NPA November 2001 at Lamag and was assigned as  medical and finance officer of the Kilusang Larangang Guerrilla under the Jennifer Maria Carino Command operating in Quirino, Ilocos Sur area.

 She decided to join the underground because of the harassment she and the members of her family experienced alleged atrocities from military.    

During her stint with the group, she took several trainings and courses and conducted the same among the members of the rebel group.

She reportedly participated in the propaganda/mass work activities to strengthen and expand their mass base, particularly in places where support was dwindling.            

Since 2011, she left the group and sought refuge with her siblings because of health problem.

She reportedly communicated with her comrades but when she transferred to another place she lost communication with them.

Last year, she fell in love with a driver and they lived together where she worked as house helper in Daet, Camarines Norte where her relatives encouraged her to surrender.

Man wanted for drugs cornered

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – A man wanted for drugs was recently arrested here in Barangay Lacnog.

Provincial police director, Senior Supt. Victor Wanchakan, identified the suspect as   Bonny Maggongoy Wacnang, 39, farmer and resident of Lacnog.

He was nabbed by the joint personnel of the Regional Public Safety battalion, Tabuk City Police Office and members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.   

Cordillera PNP chief orders rigid security as Yuletide Season starts

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Isagani R. Nerez ordered police last week to enhance security operations before, during and after the observance of the traditional Yuletide Season in the region.

This, as influx of people is expected in shopping malls, churches, terminals and other public places.

Millions of catholic devotees are expected to attend the traditional simbang gabi which will start Dec. 16 while tourists, balikbayans, and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will be coming to the country to visit tourist spots among other places and celebrate holidays with their families and friends.

Nerez said security operations were needed as criminals and other lawless elements may take advantage of this season to conduct their criminal activities.

He said police presence will be intensified through increased foot and mobile patrol operations and deployment of route safety marshalls.

Police assistance areas will also be established in places of convergence.

Nerez said police will intensify the campaign against loose firearms, illegal discharge of firearms, and campaign against  criminal gangs and personalities.

The public’s social responsibility and cooperation is very vital in preventing crime in the community, Nerez said.

He urged the the public to provide  police with relevant and timely information through social media (Twitter-@PNPCordillera or Facebook Page- ProProcor, or through the following numbers: Complaint Referral -094765880 / 09174297628; Regional Tactical Operation Center (074) 422-5515; 09175302679/ 09285591669.

PDEA seizes 40 kilos marijuana at Baguio transport terminal

BAGUIO CITY -- Authorities arrested a fruit vendor for yielding 44 bricks of dried marijuana leaves at a transport terminal here, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said  Wednesday.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said that the dried marijuana leaves which weighed 41.475 kilograms was confiscated from Antonette Campiwer Churping, a native of Sadanga, Mountain Province and resident of Pinget, Baguio City.

Reports said last Dec.4, around 7 p.m., combined elements of PDEA Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (PDEA RO-CAR) and the local police arrested Churping after she was caught transporting the marijuana bricks in a bus and jeepney terminal in Slaughter Compound, Barangay Sto. Niño, Baguio City.

"The seized illegal drug was neatly concealed inside a multi-colored nylon bag of assorted clothes, a box of ripe bananas and a sack of dried peanuts," Cacdac said.

A case for violation of Section 5 (Transportation of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, is now being prepared for filing before the Baguio City Prosecutor’s Office against Churping, who is now in the custody of PDEA RO-CAR.

Igorot cops bag Ilocos PNP awards

Four police officers from the Cordillera who are stationed in San Fernando, La Union were recently honored by no less than Retired Police Director General Ricardo De Leon for seizing the most coveted award by besting 16 others in the competition for the Best Regional Special Training Unit (RSTU) in the country for the year 2014.

Supt. Robert S. Daculan who heads the RSTU for Region 01 based at Camp Brig. General Oscar M. Florendo as Training Manager received the award in behalf of Region 01 and his team during simple rites that coincided with the 9th Founding Anniversary of the PNP Training Service at Camp Crame, Quezon City on Nov. 14.

The other team members and personnel of RSTU1 are SPO3 Hugh Reginald G. Coplat of Tadian, Mt. Province; SPO2 Christopher P. Nebrida of La Trinidad and Buguias, Benguet; and SPO1 Winston T. Litilit of Sabangan, Mt. Province.

Prior to his assignment as Training Manager of RSTU1, PSupt.Daculan was Section Chief of Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development (DHRDD), Team Leader of the National Investigation Unit of the United Nations Mission in East Timor (UNMIT), Deputy CIDG Provincial Officer of Rizal Province, and Special Mobile Group Company Commander for the Police Regional Office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Special training units in all the 17 regions in the country are in charge of police training in Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Field Training Program (FTP), SCOUT, Rifle and Pistol Marksmanship Trainings. -  March Fianza

796 Cordillera cops promoted; UC, Cordillera PNP seal MOA

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- A total of 796 police commissioned officers (PCO) and police non-commissioned officers (PNCO) were promoted to the next higher rank here last week.

Regional police director Chief Supt. Isagani Nerez graced the activity together with command group, directorial staff, PNP officers among others.

Senior Supt. Joseph Adnol, chief RPHRDD said promotion was part of 2014 regular promotion program.

Nerez extended his congratulations to the newly promoted officers and expressed his thanks to their families and friends for all the support given to their loved ones. He urged them to continue seeking self and professional improvements.  

Another highlight of the program was the memorandum of agreement between University of Cordilleras (UC) represented by Dr. Ramon C. Cercado, UC president; Ariel Ninio Pumecha, dean, and regional police office represented by Nerez.

Both parties agreed to have criminology students of UC to have their on-the-job training program in police offices and provide training needed by  students. This agreement will begin on third trimester of 2014-2015 and  continue during terms when there are UC Criminology students qualified to undergo the OJT. 

Drug personality cornered in buy-bust 

BAGUIO CITY -- Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera Administrative Region arrested Tuesday night a drug personality six months after his acquittal from a drug case.

William Lina Ibarra, 43, of Middle Quezon Hill here,  was arrested at Happy Glen Loop, Barangay SaludMitra, when he reportedly sold 5.31 grams of shabu to a PDEA agent who acted as buyer.

Seized from Ibarra were seven sachets of shabu weighing19.09 grams worth P122,000, buy-bust money and several drug paraphernalia.

Ibarra reportedly tested positive for use of metamphetamine during the initial drug test.

Charges were filed against Ibarra for illegal drugs who is now under custody of PDEA.

Ibarra was earlier arrested \June 15, 2009 by PDEA agents but the case was dismissed on April 10, 2010.  He was again apprehended on March 2, 2011 by police but was acquired June 3, 2014.

Rebel couple surrenders

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Two alleged members of the New People’s Army surrendered to the authorities in Abra, police reported.

Robert Arciaga and his wife Rochelle told Abra police director Senior Supt. Albertito Garcia that they were tired of fighting and living in the mountains.

Authorities said Rochelle was a medical officer of the NPA’s Kilusang Gerilya.

Robert, who was said to be a member of militant group Anakbayan in Caloocan City, joined the underground movement in 2012.

He served as vice leader of the NPA “Lerio” team operating in Mountain Province until 2013. He later joined the NPA’s “Ambag” team.

Robert said he was trained in individual combat techniques and other rebel-related activities, but denied having participated in any atrocities committed by the rebels.

Garcia said the couple had no firearms when they surrendered.

The couple’s surrender was facilitated by Tubo Mayor Gilbert Ballangan and town police chief Inspector Rodolfo Tubadeza, said Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Isagani Nerez.