AFTER the 33 percent reduction in its crime, Cordillera police has intensified its war against criminality with the arrest of nine offenders.
In Baguio City, seven gamblers were arrested, three of whom women were detained after being caught in the act of playing card games in the evening of October 6 at Nabileg Building, Block 4 Hilltop, Baguio City.
Joint personnel of Baguio City Police Office Civilian Intelligence Unit, Police Station 7 operatives, Mobile Patrol Unit, and City Public Safety Company arrested the gamblers identified as Osias Tomas Aniban, 68, resident of Sayangan, Atok; Villamor Dapuyan Pace, 55, laborer, resident of Hydro No. 2, Asin, Tuba; and Jacqueline Calsi Ibaño, 42, housewife, resident of Asin, Nangalisan, Tuba, all from Benguet.
Also arrested were Zaldy Salbino Pio, 31, porter, resident of Purok 15, Agro, Irisan; Rodrigo Pulsingay Angel, 55, driver, resident of Purok 15; Irisan Shirley Caoili Lucio, 35, vendor, resident of Block 4 Hilltop; and Genevieve Ludaes Willie, 38, housewife, resident of Purok 5 Pinsao Proper, all from Baguio City.
As a result, 40 pieces of blue card and 42 pieces of red card, four monoblock chairs, a table, and bet money amounting to P240 in different denominations were confiscated during the operation.
A case of drug possession meanwhile was recorded in a separate operation which led to the arrest of Angel Jerusalem Tuzon Jr, 23, Merchandizer, a resident of Bugallon St., Aurora Hill, Baguio City who was caught concealing illegal drugs in the morning of October 7.
Prior to the discovery of the contraband, Tuzon was involved in a vehicular accident along Rimando Road, Baguio City and was brought to Baguio General Hospital for medical treatment.
When the security guard tried to look for any means to identify the person, he incidentally found one heat sealed transparent sachet containing suspected dried marijuana leaves in his back pack.
In Abra province, Armando Bella Aguirre, 47, a resident of Barangay Malabbaga, La Paz, was arrested on October 8 for firing his gun within the area of his residence.
Responding personnel of La Paz Municipal Police Station together with the Barangay Chairman chased the suspect until he was arrested.
Recovered from the suspect were one unlicensed Smith and Wesson calibre .38 revolver without serial number, loaded with four live ammunition and two spent shell was recovered from his possession.
Police Regional Office Cordillera Director Police Chief Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona stressed that “there will be no letup in the Regional Police's tough approach in fighting criminality to maintain peace and order in the region.”