WITH the shift to anti criminality drive, the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera vowed to intensify its fight against motorcycle riding suspects who have been contributory to tarnishing the national police' reputation and credibility in its war against drugs.
Since the declaration of “hands off” policy in the anti-illegal drug operations, PRO-Cordillera have focused on the four priority programs of the PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa one of which is the motorcycle riding suspects.
Based on PROCOR's data, a total of 29 crime incidents involving Motorcycle Riding Suspect (MRS) were recorded from July to December 2016 with four cases cleared.
From January to October 2017, a total of 14 incidents were recorded with seven incidents cleared and four incidents solved.
The most recent incident of motorcycle riding in the region is the shooting of a tricycle driver identified as Benjie Valeros Bobias, a resident of Agtangao, Bangued, Abra on October 22, 2017 in Torrijos St., Zone 5, Bangued wherein the victim sustained gunshot wounds on his armpit, right forearm, left ear and chest.
The victim was later on brought to Seares Memorial Hospital but later on died.
A case of murder was filed against suspected shooter Dante Viado Buenafe, 34, unemployed and a resident of Transmitter, Barangay Bangbangar, Bangued who is still at large as of this writing.
Data gathered by the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management showed that 33 percent of the deaths recorded from July 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017 were perpetrated by motorcycle-riding criminals.
PRO-Cordillera regional director Chief Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona advised his men to focus on running after motorcycle-riding hitmen and urged all investigators to conduct an in depth investigation on the matter and go after the suspects.