Cops train guns on riding-in-tandem criminals

LINGAYEN -- The new leadership of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) is bent on stopping shooting incidents perpetrated by motorcycle riding-in-tandem criminals.

This is one of the marching orders given by PPPO officer-in-charge Mariano Luis Verzosa Jr. to the chiefs-of-police in Pangasinan during his first command conference last Monday.

"We will implement Police Integrated Patrol System vigorously to arrest the problem on shooting incidents perpetrated by motorcycle riding-in-tandem," Verzosa said.

This is also one of the major concerns Governor Amado Espino Jr. had told him to address when he paid the governor a courtesy call last week.

About 39 shooting incidents perpetrated by motorcycle riding-in-tandem suspects were recorded in the province from January to June, causing an alarm especially to the provincial officials.

In a bid to stop such incidents, Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr. filed a proposed a provincial ordinance regulating riding-in-tandem in motorcycles.

The Provincial Board has started conducting committee hearings to get feedback from the different sectors, starting with the Land Transportation Office, police, and the association of motorcycle riders.

Meanwhile, part of the programs of Verzosa is the conduct of performance audit of chiefs-of-police, a program from the National Government being cascaded down to the regional, provincial, and local police offices.

"We will also try to enhance the competency of each police unit by putting the right man on the right job," he said.

Verzosa, a member of Philippine Military Academy Maharlika Class of 1984, said he is glad to be given the opportunity to serve his province, a dream of every police officer. (Sunnex)