EDITORIAL
There could be truth to allegations of Philippine
National Police Director General Oscar Albayalde who had confirmed that
incumbent politicians and candidates for the 2019 elections are now using services of five guns-for-hire like the group arrested
by the PNP- Anti Kidnapping Group (AKG) in Quezon City and Isabela.
A
police task force is now investigating the death of the mayor of Balaoan, La
Union and wounding of the vice mayor who is his daughter when they were
ambushed by unidentified gunmen in the town Wednesday morning.
Seven
persons were also wounded in the ambush and taken to hospitals in critical
condition.
The
convoy of Balaoan town mayor Aleli Concepcion and vice mayor Alfred Concepcion
was ambushed by unidentified gunmen, said La Union Police Provincial Director
Senior Supt. Ricardo Layug. The incident took place around 8:10 a.m. on Balaoan
Luna Road, Barangay Cabuaan.
Also wounded were
identified as Roniel R. Valdez, 45, driver of Mayor
Concepcion; Dominador S. Bautista, 30; Joey V. Lopez, 33. driver of
vice mayor Concepcion; Samuel O. Natividad, 46;; Danilo C.
Mendoza, 50,kagawad; Roberto A. Octavo, 58, tricycle driver, bystander
and Marilou O. Dingle, 37, bystander.
In
the case of the assassins operating in Isabela and Manila, Albayalde said the
criminal syndicate, headed by Ricardo Peralta, is often hired by governors and
mayors to serve as private armies and to commit intimidation or even
assassination against their political rivals.
Following
this, he said the PNP is serious and had intensified campaign against private
armed groups and loose firearms.
The
PNP chief refused to name said politicians who hail from Nueva Ecija, Cagayan,
Metro Manila, Bulacan, and La Union, but said they are coordinating with the
Dept. of Interior and Local Government regarding the allegations.
“We
can always conduct police operations against them if we get evidence that they
are also in possession of unlicensed firearms. We can always apply search
warrant also against them and we will coordinate with DILG on that,” Albayalde
said.
PNP-AKG
Director PCSupt. Glen Dumlao said five suspects were found to be in possession
of high-caliber guns, ammunition, and grenades.
The
AKG has launched a manhunt for the group’s leader, Ricardo Peralta, who has a
P5 million bounty on his head offered by the Volunteers Against Crime and
Corruption (VACC) over various crimes.
“We
are very happy na yung VACC ay nakikipag tulungan sa amin in pursuing this
criminal kasi iba na po yung personality ni Ric Peralta, iba na yung mukha
niya. Iba yung ginagamit niyang mga pangalan that’s why yung mga pulitiko na
kliyente nila ay inaaccept siya dahil hindi siya kilala. He is passing his self
as security consultant with military and police background,” said Dumlao.
The
PNP vowed to exert efforts in capturing criminal syndicates that are used being
by politicians as their private armies.
This,
as Christopher Alain Alvero, another gun-for-hire and a high-value target
involved in illegal drugs, was killed along with two others in a police
operation in San Pablo Laguna Nov. 10.
If not nipped in the bud,
more candidates for political position in the May 2019 would die
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