Only 4 cops remain unaccounted for in E. Visayas

MANILA, Philippines - Four policemen have remained unaccounted for in Eastern Visayas since the region was hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Reuben Theodore Sindac, PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said the four police officers are still considered unaccounted for and not yet missing persons since they might still show up.

Sindac did not disclose the identities of the four policemen, and but identified another policeman – PO2 Joel de Paz of the PNP R8 Regional Mobile Group – who was earlier reported to be unaccounted for but later reported to the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Sindac expressed belief that most policemen would surface after the PNP gave a deadline to report for duty.

Sindac, however, confirmed that six policemen were killed when the typhoon struck the Visayas region, but declined to give their names pending further processing.

Two of them were reportedly members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Region 8.

Sindac said PNP Region 8 has a total of 6,295 personnel.

He noted that PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima said the police would attend to the needs of affected policemen.