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Monday, September 08, 2003
Guards of politicians holding loose guns: PNP
BAGUIO -- Private guards of politicians in the province are holders of loose firearms, said no less than Abra Provincial Police Office Director Artemio Hicban.
He also suspects the series of killings that occurred in the past months in the province may be political in nature.
But this is only a theory, he said, adding that police have no concrete evidence to back the statement.
Hicban said that before he assumed the post of Abra police director, law enforcers raided the houses and rented apartments of some politicians, including a mayor, and reportedly found unlicensed firearms there.
He added he is willing to be relieved from his post amid snowballing calls from Abrenians residing in the country and abroad for him to step down.
"I am willing to be replaced but I want to assure them that my office is doing its best to lessen the incidents of crime in the province, which it is doing right now," Hicban said.
Records from the Police Regional Office in the Cordilleras showed that Abra tops the list of provinces in the region with a high number of crimes committed against persons such as murder, frustrated murder, homicide and frustrated homicide.
The latest much-publicized killings in Abra include the murder of three officials of the Cordillera People's Liberation Army (CPLA) and the shooting of Barangay Chief Nestor Belisario of Zone 6, Bangued, Abra.
Hicban, at the same time, brushed off allegations that top Abra politicians are manipulating him.
"I never like to be involved in politics. Kung may away ang mga politiko sa Abra, sila-sila lang (If there are squabbles between politicians in Abra, that is between them)," he said, referring to allegations he was being used by Gov. Vicente Valera. He said there is no truth to such claims.
Following the series of killings in Abra, some 20 fully armed operatives of the PNP Regional Mobile Group (RMG) were deployed in the province.
Last week, RMG operatives reportedly seized seven high-powered firearms from a vehicle reportedly owned by Valera.
Hicban said he has not received an official report about the matter until now.
Supt. Gil Gamis, then the RMG chief, was relieved from his post last week for allegedly bungling the case. HFP
(September 8, 2003 issue) |
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