Central Luzon task force to pin down cops, soldiers involved in kidnaps

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — The Central Luzon police command reorganized its anti-kidnapping task force in a command conference last Friday to pin down police, military or government personnel involved in abductions.

"The task force (will) effectively spearhead the all-out and sustained anti-kidnapping campaign," said Senior Inspector Jhoanna Ponseca, spokesman of the Central Luzon police.

This, despite a decrease in kidnapping cases in the region since 2000. Ponseca said there were three ransom kidnappings in 2000, 14 in 2001, seven in 2002, eight in 2004, and three so far this year.

Ponseca said the task force, headed by Senior Superintendent Perfecto Palad, deputy regional police director, is composed of elements of the headquarters and intelligence and criminal investigation and detection units of the regional police, and the mobile and traffic management groups.

Ponseca said the task force will closely coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation, the Land Transportation Office, and the Armed Forces in all its operations.

Chief Superintendent Alejandro Lapinid, Central Luzon police director, said the task force will focus on identifying military and police personnel and others in the government engaged in ransom kidnappings or who have links with kidnapping syndicates.

Lapinid said the task force will put up more checkpoints in "strategic locations," increase police visibility in densely populated areas such as shopping centers, and augment the mobile police force.

"It will also coordinate with other anti-crime groups and the media for an awareness drive against kidnapping," Ponseca said.

Lapinid has issued a "commander’s guidance" memorandum to all police units in Central Luzon, directing them to prepare a "crime map" pinpointing crime-prone areas where he said police patrols should be beefed up and intelligence agents deployed.