Benguet cops bare 1st quarter accomplishments

THE Benguet Provincial Police Office's (PPO) continuous implementation of its campaign against criminality, illegal drugs, and public safety concerns in the province led to the arrest of several wanted persons and confiscation of illegal drugs.

In their first quarter accomplishment report, Benguet PPO Director Lyndon Mencio reported 101 arrests made, including those with warrants of arrests.

Of the total arrest, 19 were top most wanted, 72 were also collared without warrant for frustrated murder, attempted homicide, carnapping of vehicles and motorcycles, robbery, theft, rape, violation of Republic Act 7262, 9165 and estafa.

Under its "Double Barrel Reloaded," the Benguet PPO successfully conducted three drug busts that resulted in the arrest of four individuals.

During a drug bust in Mankayan, collared were Lanne Roy Yalong and Jamel Padicles for violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Another drug bust was conducted in Puguis, La Trinidad, that led to the arrest of Joselito Unabia and Jane Jabon.

Meanwhile, 9,000 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P1.8 million were uprooted and destroyed in the boundaries of Bakun and Kibungan municipality.

On "Oplan Baka Sita," the provincial police recovered 13 firearms and arrested Peter Chinalpan, Johnson Sawac and Dexon Baywong.

The Benguet PPO also bared that the strict implementation of Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines resulted in the confiscation of 6,613.25 board feet of logs valued at P237,215.15, arrest of three suspected illegal loggers, and confiscation of two vehicles and a chainsaw.

On April 6, the Benguet police arrested Lodenio Diego Marcos, considered the top most wanted person in the province in Tabao, Loo, Bugias, for two counts of statutory rape.

Mencio lauded personnel of Bugias Municipal Police Station, Benguet Provincial Mobil Force, Benguet Provincial Intelligence Branch, Regional Intelligence Unit-14, and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group for their support in attaining their accomplishments.