Camanava checkpoints to stay after elections

Checkpoints in strategic areas in the northern part of Metro Manila will be sustained even after the May 10 elections, Chief Superintendent Marcelino Franco Jr., Northern Police District (NPD) director, said Friday.

Franco explained that checkpoints in the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area were useful in the NPD’s drive against criminality.

"With positive results in our anti-crime drive, and with good response from the public, checkpoints in our area might stay even after the elections," he announced.

Franco noted that a number of criminal elements were caught in checkpoints even before they can commit crimes in the street.

This, he added, resulted in the decrease of crime volume in Camanava.

"As long as our peace and order situation demands the presence of checkpoints in our area, they would stay," Franco said.

The NPD chief said they are also tightly watching robbery holdup groups.

He said they received reports that two notorious criminal groups — the Waray-Waray Gang and remnants of the Kuratong Baleleng Group, are out to stage a comeback as police are busy in the coming elections.

Meanwhile, Franco warned policemen against serving as security escorts of politicians without permission from his office, particularly the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

"Politicians are allowed only one police escort each, unless the Comelec approved more," Franco said.

But he assured politicians in Camanava that ample security men would be deployed during the official campaign period.

"Area or route security would always be maintained by the police irregardless of who the politician would be," he said.

Franco expressed hope that the May elections in the Camanava area would be peaceful as no area in northern Metro is considered a hot spot.

Franco said that in the past, there are at least seven areas in Valenzuela which are considered election hot spots, but at present he said he is confident that they would not be included in the Comelec’s list

These are Barangays Arkong Bato, Malinta, Canumay, Karuhatan, Marulas, Ugong, and Gen. T. de Leon.

In the previous election, Franco said there are no more violent incidents reported in these areas.