THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Zamboanga Peninsula has placed its personnel previously assigned in the war on illegal drugs under retraining in preparation for new tasks.
Chief Superintendent Billy Beltran, PRO-Zamboanga Peninsula director, said they will be deployed to run after suspected hired killers of guns-for-hire.
This came about after President Rodrigo Duterte has relieved the police of its anti-drug functions, and designated the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to lead the war against illegal drugs.
Beltran said the campaign against guns-for-hire is necessary to address the rising shooting incidents, most of which were perpetuated by suspected hired killers.
Some 181 shooting incidents were recorded from August to October this year in Zamboanga Peninsula Region, of which 117 were perpetuated by gunmen riding-in-tandem on motorcycle believed to be hired killers.