PRO8 sees secure polls

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
April 1, 2013

CAMP SEC. KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) has expressed confidence for secure and fair elections as local candidates started their campaign to gain elective posts in the May 2013 midterm elections.

“As local candidates troops to the streets seeking support from the electorate, PRO8 is doing its best to ensure a peaceful conduct of the elections,” PRO8 Director Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria said.

Soria noted that since the start of the election period, no election-related violent incident was recorded in the region.

He attributed this to the religious implementation of preemptive police operations like the conduct of COMELEC checkpoints/chokepoints; strengthening of PNP-AFP linkages; deployment of more police personnel to areas with previous election-related incidents; police intervention against loose firearms; campaign against Partisan Armed Groups (PAGs) and accounting of wanted person.

“The situation is generally peaceful and we are confident we will have secure and fair elections on May 13,” the regional director added.

The 45-day campaign period for the local elections was supposed to start on March 29, but since this falls on Good Friday when campaigning is prohibited, the Comelec had moved the date to March 30.

Senatorial bets and party-list groups started campaigning last February 12 and the campaign period for all candidates will end on May 11.

As this developed, two suspected members of New People’s Army were arrested in Northern Samar and two wanted men were arrested in Calbayog City, all suspects were carrying firearms during their arrests.

At about 11:30PM of March 28, joint elements of Northern Samar Provincial Special Operations Group led by PSInsp. Joseph Imperial and Lapinig Municipal Police Station led by PSInsp. Arnold Gomba in coordination with the 52nd Infantry Battalion CAA Detachment of Lapinig arrested two suspected members of New People’s Army in Brgy. Potong, Lapinig, Northern Samar.

The two suspects, names withheld pending investigation, were in possession of one unit caliber .45 pistol marked Colt MKIV Series 80 Government Model with serial number 355299 with one magazine assembly loaded with 6 live ammos and one unit caliber .357 revolver with no markings loaded with 4 live bullets.

In Calbayog City, wanted men Ryan Saucero y Dealagdon alias Baying, 38, and Ecer Saucero y Dignos, 40, both farmers, were arrested by elements of Regional Public Safety Battalion 8 (RPSB8) led by PSInsp. Shyrile Tan at the outskirts of Brgy San Isidro, Calbayog City in the early morning of Holy Thursday.

The suspects were nabbed by virtue of Warrant of Arrest for Robbery with Homicide docketed under criminal case number 5016 issued by Judge Reynaldo Clemens of Regional Trial Court Brach 31 in Calbayog City with no bail recommended.

Recovered from the suspects were two units of homemade shotgun with a total of 10 rounds live ammos for 12-gauge shotgun and two units of homemade firearms locally known as “bardog” and “boga”.

Earlier on March 25, checkpoint operations in Brgy. Bantigue, Ormoc City resulted in the arrest of three persons identified as Mauro Danas, Marcelo Adoco and Ricky Malinao on board a black Toyota Vios with several high-powered firearms that includes a Larije Tactical M16 rifle; Colt M4 carbine; Ingram 9mm sub-machine pistol; two units .45 caliber pistols marked Colt IV and STI Edge; a Norinco 9mm pistol; and several magazines with live ammunitions of 5.56, .45 and 9mm calibers.

This brings to 88 the total number of people arrested by PRO8 for violating the election gun ban.