Police monitor four politicians

 ILOILO CITY, Philippines  — Four politicians in Iloilo province are put on tight monitoring by the police for their possible inclination to form private armed groups (PAGs), said Sr. Supt. Gil Lebin, Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) director.

Lebin however did not elaborate further on the profile of these politicians but only said they are from the 3rd, 4th and 5th congressional districts of Iloilo.

Last year’s election violence and this year’s tight race for an electoral post might compel these politicians to form their own goons to advance their interest, he told The Freeman.

“Their actions during the 2010 elections speak volume of their possible moves for the 2013 midterm polls,” Lebin said, adding that the close police monitoring might force politicians into shelving any plan of terrorizing their opponents and the voters.

In a related development, Police Regional Office-6 director Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr. said they have also upped their radar on personalities who may be inclined to be armed to guard politicians.

In the advent of the election, these crooks are just more than willing to grab the illicit opportunity just to earn, he said. “They might re-organized soon and present themselves to politicians who are just also eager to pay their price,” Cruz said.

The PRO-6 has already started its operations against loose firearms. Cruz said that PAGs would not be PAGs if they don’t have guns. “Running after loose firearms is one way to achieve a non-violent poll,” he said.

Records from the Firearm and Explosives Unit (FEU) of PRO-6 early this year showed that 32,307 firearm licenses were not renewed, 28,978 of which belonged to individuals and the rest to juridical entities. The FEU and local police stations have been reminding owners of firearms to renew their expired licenses, said Cruz.

Last year, 334 cases for violation of gun law were filed against 542 suspects all over Western Visayas region. A total of 790 loose firearms were also confiscated and recovered, 410 of these were home-made, 222 were low-powered and 158 were high-powered.

Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office topped the accomplishment with 189 firearms seized, followed by IPPO with 162, Bacolod City PO with 144, Aklan PPO with 80, Capiz PPO with 70, Iloilo City PO with 61, Antique PPO with 56, and Guimaras PPO, 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion and the Regional Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Group with 12 each.

For this year, the police force is expecting an increase in the haul, especially during the election gun ban period from January 13, 2013 to June 12, 2013.  (FREEMAN)