Calbayog partners with PNP, Army for security

By Ninfa B Quirante

Calbayog City (July 30) — Calbayog Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento met with the so called Security Cluster Tuesday for the update on the investigations being made by the PNP on the reported shooting incidents in Calbayog.

Also discussed was the coordination to be made between the PNP and the Philippine Army and their respective tasks to maintain peace and order in the city.

As reported earlier, the police troops from the Police Regional Mobile Group (PRMG) will be conducting checkpoints in Calbayog.

The Philippine Army through the 34th Infantry Battalion (34th IB) will conduct propelactic patrols in some barangays in Calbayog District particularly in the Upper and Lower Happy Valley areas, while the 20th IB will go on with its operations in the Tinambacan and Oquendo Districts.

As per report made by Calbayog PNP Chief PSupt Lito Bigoy, (as of July 22, 2009) the number of shooting incidents reported was at 27; and most of these incidents are results of personal grudges.

As of the meeting on Tuesday, nine cases have been filed in court; one case was reportedly settled amicably, another case found one suspect dead, 12 cases are being investigated while four cases are due for filing.

In an earlier interview dated July 14, 2009 Samar Provincial Director PSSupt Pancho Hubilla said that Samar is ‘very peaceful’.

Although the PNP chief admitted he was concerned with the killings in Calbayog City and other areas in the first district.

Two days after the interview, Matuginao Mayor Carlos dela Cruz was gunned down and killed by unidentified assailants in his very home in Catbalogan.

Matuginao is a municipality that belonged to the first district.

Dela Cruz, along with a cousin named Joel Adel were gunned down in the mayor’s house in Catbalogan, Adel however survived but could not identify the assassins.

Police are now pursuing all angles in this killing and have identified a suspect based on witnesses accounts, the suspect though remains elusive.

Hubilla meanwhile said his PNP force is addressing the problem.

In addition, a new batch of SWAT graduates have been deployed to problematic areas in Samar.

Peace and order is a high priority of the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In her final SONA delivered on July 28, PGMA mentioned her concern for security and peace and order.

“High on our agenda will be peace and security issues. Terrorism: how to meet it, how to end it, how to address its roots in injustice or prejudice—and first and always how to protect lives”, PGMA cited.

She urged congress to : fund more policemen on the streets. (PIA Samar with Ron Ricafort)