East Samar Police bares Command’s biggest 2011 accomplishment

By ALICE NICART, PIA Eastern Samar
January 3, 2012

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar  –  Chief Inspector Edwin Barbosa, of the Police Community Relations Office (PCRO), Philippine National Police (PNP) Provincial Command here reported their major accomplishment for year 2011.

According to Barbosa they consider their neutralization of hold-up incidents in some highways of the province as their major success.

It can be recalled that there used to have a series of hold-up incidents along the stretch of Hernani and Llorente towns.  However, just before the year ended, the suspects were collared by police authorities following the warrant of arrest issued against them.

Since then, it was observed that highway robberies and hold-up incidents have not recurred anymore.

Two attempted hold-ups were likewise foiled by police authorities in the recent past: one at the Borongan LBC branch and at the Rural Bank of Borongan.

Asked about the recent New Year’s revelries, Barbosa said that the celebration was relatively peaceful, no illegal discharge of ammunition whatsoever was reported except for five firecracker-related injuries which were reported by the Provincial Health Office (PHO).

There was one stabbing incident though, with suspect already arrested, but no other crime was reported to have occurred during the New Year celebration.

And yesterday, after a successful campaign vs. illegal discharge of firearms, the members of the PNP Provincial Command, altogether removed the muzzles from the nozzles of their issued long and short firearms, an order they had to follow earlier to ensure a peaceful New Year celebration.

It was an experience several years back when members of the defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC) and Integrated National Police (INP) would fire their firearms every time the 12th hour of December 31 strikes the clock.  Later however, it became taboo as several of them faced due charges, others were dismissed from the service for indiscriminate firing.