LINGAYEN–The implementation of the ‘two-strike’ policy of the Pangasinan police which seeks the relief of police chiefs whose areas of jurisdiction registered at least two unsolved shooting incidents within a month period, gets the nod of the regional headquarters in La Union.

Chief Superintendent Franklin Bucayu, police regional director, announced his support last week to the policy originally laid down by then Provincial Director Percival Barba and reinstated stored by Provincial Director Rosueto Ricaforte.

Bucayu said the two-strike policy should encourage police chiefs to work harder in preventing crimes and to solve those that had already happened.

“This will bring down shooting incidents perpetrated by armed men riding in tandem,” he said.

“We will continue this so the police chiefs will always be on their toes,” Bucayu added.

At the same time, he stressed that affected chiefs of police will be given due process before being relieved.

Senior Superintendent Ricaforte ordered the two-strike policy on his police chiefs due to spate of shooting incidents in several towns and cities perpetrated by armed men riding in tandem since October last year.

HEADS TO ROLL

Ricaforte said there are already some chiefs of police whose heads are now on the chopping block based on the number of shooting incidents that happened in their respective jurisdictions.

To date, two police chiefs had been relieved since the ‘two-strike’ policy went into effect in October 5 last year although their reliefs were not due to the ‘two-strike’ policy.

The chief of police in Bayambang was relieved on account of the  ‘one-strike’ policy of PNP on jueteng while the chief of police of Bani already exceeded the regular two-year tour of duty.

POLICE HEROES

Meanwhile, Bucayu joined Rep. Marlyn Agabas of the sixth district in Barangay Capandanan in Santa Maria town to present a posthumous award to the family of SPO2 Roderick Ballesca of the Provincial Public Safety Company in Tayug who lost his life in a firefight with a group of hired guns in the early morning of January 8.

Ballesca was promoted to the next higher rank while SPO2 Sherwin Cuenta, who was wounded, was awarded a wounded police personnel award and a Medalya ng Kagalingan.

Their colleagues, PO3 Rodrigo Lubiano and PO1 Menardo Dungca were also recipients of Medalya ng Kagalingan.

The encounter resulted in the wounding of a suspect, identified as Larry Garasin of Ilocos Norte, and the subsequent arrest of the group’s mastermind, Nelson Navarro, and Cesar Vergara, 28, of Poblacion East, Umingan.

Another suspect, Rey Sobrera, remains at large.

All the suspects have now been charged with murder and frustrated murder before the Regional Trial Court in Rosales.

ANOTHER GUN-FOR-HIRE
NEUTRALIZED BT COPS

LINGAYEN–Another suspected gun-for-hire was neutralized by the police after he was killed while resisting arrest in Sitio Ballog, Barangay Baybay Sur, Sual on the night of January 11.

The suspect was identified as Felix Menor of Sitio Ballog, Baybay Sur, who shot at elements of the Sual Police and Provincial Investigation Branch (PIB) of the Police Provincial Office (PPO) when they served him an alias warrant of arrest at his residence.

The warrant of arrest, issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Dionisio Sison of Branch 38 in Lingayen, was for the murder of then Barangay Captain Berting Reynaldo of Barangay Baybay Norte in Sual on May 3, 2004.

The police said prior to the incident, Menor, who was in the watchlist of the PPO, was placed under a week-long surveillance by elements of the Sual Police led by Senior Inspector Leo Llamas, and PIB led by Supt. Wilson Joseph Lopez.

Upon presentation of the warrant of arrest at 10:45 p.m. of Jan. 11, Menor drew his handgun and started shooting at the policemen.

The lawmen retaliated and Menor was subsequently hit in different parts of his body.

Menor was rushed to the Western Pangasinan District Hospital in Alaminos City where he was declared dead on arrival.

Recovered by Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) near Menor’s body were one MK1 fragmentation grenade, one Cal. 45 pistol, seven empty fired cartridges, two slugs, and one live ammunition for M-14 rifle.–LM

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