Sunday, May 11, 2008
NPA's Sparu not here: CPPO
ALTHOUGH top headquarters have warned of the New People’s Army Special Partisan Unit (Sparu), local police officials here are less worried about them targeting officers.
Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria and Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said they do not have reports of the existence of such a unit here, although another police officer in Luzon was killed last Monday.
Supt. Narciso Guarin, deputy chief of the Personnel and Human Resource Development Division in the Bicol region, was shot at 6:30 a.m. while he was on his way to attend the flag ceremony at the police regional headquarters.
Guarin, a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy class 1989, was shot 21 times by suspected communist rebels using M16 rifles.
Following the shooting, Camp Crame issued a directive to all units in the country warning its personnel of the Sparu hit squad reportedly intensifying its operations.
The memorandum stated that the Sparu is actively planning assassinations of police, military and government officials.
“All personnel are encouraged to take maximum and appropriate measures for their own safety,” it read.
But even if they feel the forces of the NPA in Cebu are dwindling, Valmoria and Comendador said there is no harm in reminding their personnel to be cautious.
“We are not only addressing insurgency, but also criminality,” Valmoria said.
Comendador, for his part, said their job makes them targets of criminal elements.
“Wala’y mawa if atong i-announce sa atong mga tawo (we have nothing to lose if we warn our men) to be extra careful,” he told reporters.
Both officers assured though that they did not receive any reports of possible targets in Cebu, nor have there been any recent sightings of NPA rebels.
Just to be sure, they have disseminated the warning to all personnel. (MEA)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 11, 2008 issue)
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