Thursday, January 18, 2007 New Abra police chief vows reforms, neutrality
BANGUED, Abra -- New Abra Provincial Police Director Alexander Pumecha said he would institute needed reforms to make sure that his men would be neutral in maintaining a lasting peace in this conflict-stricken province.
"We will make sure that Abra police will be apolitical. We strongly denounce any form of violence related to the forthcoming elections and we will not bow down to the whims and caprices of warlords and unscrupulous politicians in the province," Pumecha said during a simple turnover ceremony at Camp Juan Villamor.
Pumecha, who had been the Mountain Province police director prior to his new assignment, replaced Senior Superintendent Rogelio Damaso, who expressed willingness to give up his post after a spate of violent activities that led to the murder of Abra Representative Luis Bersamin Jr. and attempted arson and shooting at the house of Dolores Mayor Albert Guzman last month.
He said he will continue the ongoing programs of the police, particularly the intensified campaign against loose firearms, neutralization of private armed groups that are being used by unscrupulous politicians in liquidating their political rivals, and strengthening of police visibility to deter the commission of crimes.
Earlier, Police Regional Deputy Director Eugene Martin disclosed that politicians and private individuals have not renewed yet the licenses of 595 low-powered firearms, thus the number of loose firearms in Abra have increased.
Police records showed that there are no high-powered firearms in the province that are subjected to licenses and permits to carry firearms outside residences.
Pumecha cited that the people of Abra are obviously tired of violent activities, thus the local police force must always be apolitical and uphold the interest of the people who have been longing for a lasting peace.
He assured all sectors in the province of a continuing dialogue so that they could come up with practical solutions to satisfy the clamor to put an end to violent activities that have claimed the lives of innocent politicians and civilians over the past several decades. (DAS)
