CAMP DANGWA, Benguet -- The intensified operations of the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PRO-COR) against wanted persons and Private Armed Groups (PAG) in the region is gaining ground following the arrest of 209 wanted persons and the surrender of four private armed group (PAG) members in less than two months.
Chief Superintendent Benjamin B. Magalong, PRO-COR regional director, said that in less than two months, a total of 209 wanted persons in the region were arrested from January to this date.
Out of 209, 24 are listed as Top Most Wanted Person for the fourth quarter of 2012 charged with various offenses such as murder, homicide, rape among other serious crimes.
In a per province basis, Police Chief Superintendent Magalong said the arrests were made as follows: Abra Provincial Police Office (PPO)-23; Apayao PPO-2; Benguet PPO Office-50; Ifugao PPO-12; Kalinga PPO-11; Mountain Province PPO-11; and Baguio City Police Office (BCPO)-100, which have the highest number of arrest.
Magalong said the arrests of wanted persons and the surrender of identified PAG members is the result of PRO-COR’s continuous campaign against wanted persons in line with the implementation of “PNP Implan Tugis” in relation to LOI Manhunt Charlie.
According to him, the arrests were made possible with the help of the local government units (LGUs) and the community who provided information on the where about of the suspects.
In a related development, a total of four members of the Private Armed Groups (PAG) yielded to the members of the Regional Special Operation Task Group (RSOTG) led by Police Senior Superintendent Roberto Q. Soriano, PRO-COR deputy regional director for administration, and his Deputy RSOTG Police Senior Superintendent Benjamin Lusad, provincial director of Abra.
Soriano identified the surrenderee as Gerald Versola Valera under the Tandingan-Guayen Group, Genaro De la Peña Quemirista, under the Ramil Pilor Group, Sanny Lanag Billong, an alleged PAG member and supporter of mayoralty candidate Cromwell Luna of Tineg, Abra and the latest is Mr. Herbert Benavidez Belong alias Sniper, 27, a rebel returnee, native of Barangay Collago, Lagayan, Abra and a resident of Maguyepyep, Sallapadan, Abra under the Vincent Guzman Group that yielded on February 20, 2013.
Magalong said negotiations with other PAG members will continue as part of “our peacekeeping strategy until all the identified PAGs are neutralized in line with our objective to have a secure and fair election this coming May 2013.” (PR)