Tuesday, January 08, 2008 Police told: be extra careful
CRIMINALS are getting bolder and more daring these days, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador said yesterday.
Comendador reminded his men to be extra careful when responding to alarms following the series of incidents that either injured or killed responding police operatives.
Last Sunday, SPO1 Pedro Sucion was killed and PO2 Darius Conejos was badly wounded while trying to stop a robbery in Mandaue City.
Comendador said the CCPO is willing to help the Mandaue City Police Office in the manhunt against those who killed Sucion.
He said he also ordered CIIB Chief George Ylanan to conduct a background check on the killers for CCPO’s documentation.
During yesterday’s flag ceremony at the CCPO Headquarters Camp Sotero Cabahug, Comendador said criminals are becoming bolder and daring.
Because of this, Comendador issued a directive yesterday requiring all the police operatives, particularly the Mobile Patrol Group and the Special Weapons and Tactics, to immediately respond if a call for back up is raised.
“When I assumed office, it has been my objective not to lose any of my men. Losing (PO1 Noriel) Luage was already very painful, I don’t want to lose any of them again,” Comendador said.
Luage, who was Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau (CIIB) operative, died last Dec. 10 while serving a search warrant against Ramon “Boy” Baclohan in Sitio Sab-a, Barangay Zapa-tera, Cebu City.
Comendador believes that the recent incidents stressed the need for the police to strengthen its crackdown against holders of loose firearms.
Comendador observed that most of the guns used by criminals are the locally-made Power Custom .357 paltik revolvers.
He said the proliferation of loose firearms do not only pose dangers to policemen but most especially to civilians. (JST)
