PNP deploys SAF team for election
ACTION FOR PRIORITY AREA OF CONCERN
LINGAYEN—Members of the police Special Action Force (SAF) have been deployed here to augment the more than 2,300-man provincial police force in line with the May elections.
More than 60 SAF officers arrived January 12, the day before the official start of the election period, and will be posted around Pangasinan up to the end of the election period.
Senior Superintendent Marlou Chan, officer-in-charge provincial police director, said “this is the initial salvo of the action plan with Pangasinan being put as priority area of concern in the mid-term elections”.
“While others may react negatively to the deployment of SAF men here, we should instead welcome their coming to ensure SAFE elections,” added Superintendent Mateo Casupang, deputy police director for operations.
Chan also announced that the Regional Special Operations Task Group Pangasinan is initially focusing police operations on loose firearms through the implementation of search warrants.
At 5:30 a.m. Monday, joint police elements implemented two search warrants issued by Judge Manuel Pastor, executive judge of Branch 50 in Villasis, against Lito Rimorin, municipal councilor of Natividad and resident of Barangay Canarem.
Seized from Rimorin’s residence were one Armscor .38 caliber revolver, assorted ammunitions for carbine and shotgun, two live ammunition for .38 revolver.
Another search warrant was served against Rodolfo Bilog, businessman, a resident of Barangay Eugenio, Natividad and seized from his residence were one Colt defender .45 caliber pistol, three magazines for caliber .45, one long magazine for M-16 rifle, assorted ammunitions for caliber .45.
SHOOTING INCIDENTS
Data from the Police Provincial Office show that Pangasinan was second nationwide in terms of the number of shooting incidents for calendar year 2012.
A total of 249 shooting incidents were recorded in 2012, of which 90 or 36 per cent were perpetrated by men riding-in-tandem on a motorcycle.
This translates to an average monthly shooting incident of 21.
The towns or cities with the highest number of shooting incidents in 2012 were: Urdaneta, 22; Dagupan and Bayambang, 14 each; Villasis and San Fabian, 12 each; San Carlos City and Malasiqui, 11 each; Alaminos City and Balungao, 10 each; Asingan, 8; and Pozorrubio, 7
Of the total, 26 cases are considered solved, which means the suspects have been arrested and cases filed in court.
Considered cleared, wherein suspects were identified but not arrested and charges filed in court, are 96 cases or 38.55 per cent.
The rest are unsolved or under investigation.—Eva Visperas
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