AFTER hearing the news that four heavily-armed men linked to the killing of his son Venson were killed in a gunbattle with SOD-Task Force Limbas agents of the PNP-HPG and the Meycauayan City police last Thursday, an emotional Arsenio ‘Boy’ Evangelista immediately rose from his bed and grabbed his mobile phone to send a message to an important person.

“I’m so emotional. Bigla na lang tumulo luha ko. This justice is for all, not only for my son and I’m praying for more power to you and the rest of your men,” the elder Evangelista told PNP-HPG director, Chief Superintendent Dindo Espina after hearing the news of the encounter.

“I have just woke up and today is really a good morning for Venson and the rest of the victims. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the men who work hard night and day silently. Your best efforts won’t be left unnoticed. Good job for all of you who deserved a promotion the soonest time possible,” Evangelista said in thanking the PNP, the PNP-HPG in particular for not stopping until justice is finally given to his son and the other victims including Emerson Lozano and his driver Ernane Sensil.

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As a background, on January 14, 2011, the bodies of Lozano and his driver Sensil were respectively found with gunshot wounds in the head and their bodies burned in Porac, Pampanga and La Paz, Tarlac. The victims were found two days after they disappeared while accompanying a prospective buyer to test driver the car that Emerson- a son of known Marcos lawyer, Attorney Oliver Lozano- was selling. Emerson’s remains were recognized from his dental records.

The body of 30-year old Venson was also found, shot in the head, burned and dumped in a vacant lot in Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija on January 18, 2011. The victim was also identified thru his dental records.

The incidents triggered a massive crackdown against car theft gangs in the country launched by the PNP-HPG, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, the National Capital Region Police Office and the Police Regional Office 3 then headed by Director Alan LM Purisima, now the NCRPO chief.

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More than a year after the killing, the same group of policemen are still busy tracking down criminals while the others seem to be just coasting along and thus, need to be replaced by other officers fit to do the job particularly when it comes to neutralizing motorcycle-riding criminals.

PNP chief, Gen. Nick Bartolome hit the nail right on the head when he ordered his commanders nationwide to go tough against motorcycle-riding robbers and assassins with the belief that ‘for every riding-in-tandem criminal neutralized, several crimes are solved.’

According to Gen. Bartolome, motorcycle-riding criminals are notorious serial offenders as majority of them who have been arrested or killed in gunfights with the police were found to be involved in street crimes such as robbery-holdup, carnapping or even murder.

The PNP chief said the neutralization of riding-in-tandem suspects translate to the solution of other criminal cases as these suspects are most likely involved in other criminal activities as well aside from weapons possession and possible carjacking of the motorcycles used in their activities.

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For the year 2011 and this month alone, I believe that commendations are on order for the following units for their sustained anti-crime operations. The entire HPG headed by Espina, the CIDG headed by Director Sammy Pagdilao, the NCRPO headed by Purisima, the PRO3 headed by Chief Supt. Ed Ladao, the Cordillera police headed by Chief Supt. Benjie Magalong, the PRO1 under Chief Supt.  Frank Bucayu, the PRO2 headed by Chief Supt. Rambo de Gracia, the PR04-A under Chief Supt. Gil Meneses, the PRO6 headed by Chief Supt. Jun Querol, the PRO11 headed by Chief Supt. Jaime Morente, and the PRO7 under Chief Supt. Omar Garbo Jr. and the Special Action Force headed by Director Catalino Cuy.

Also worth mentioning are the Manila Police District headed by Chief Supt. Alex Gutierrez, the Laguna Police Provincial Office headed by Senior Supt. Gilbert Cruz, the Bulacan Police Provincial Office under Senior Supt. Jojo Mendez, the Quezon City Police District headed by Chief Supt. George Regis and the Olongapo City Police Office under Senior Supt. Chris Tambungan.

These units have scored tremendously in the campaign against all forms of criminality and in the morale improvement program apart from mustering the support of the citizenry ordered by Gen. Bartolome based on media coverage and official reports being sent to the PNP leadership.


CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL NEWLY-PROMOTED POLICE OFFICERS, MEN

This corner extends its full congratulations to all PNP officers and men who have been recently promoted to the next higher rank.

In Camp Florendo in San Fernando, La Union, the home of PRO1, I was told that officers led by Chief Supt. Bucayu and his deputies, Senior Supts. Felix Roman and Poch Lukban were surprised by the arrival of former PNP chief Art Lomibao last Friday to personally pin the new rank insignia of his former security officer, newly-promoted Senior Inspector Roderick Gonzales.

It’s no ordinary feat for Gonzales, the deputy chief of the Manaoag Municipal Police Station in Pangasinan to have a well-respected PNP chief personally honor him with his attendance during his promotion.

My congratulations too to the following officials who have or are expected to occupy key PNP posts very soon: new PNP Comptroller, Director Roque Ramirez of PMA Class 1980; new PNP Director for Human Resources and Doctrines Development, Director Rey Lanada of PMA Class 1979; new PNP Finance Service director, Chief Supt. Rolly Purugganan of PMA Class 1981; Chief Supt. Nap Estilles, also of PMA Class 1981 who will become the new PRO9 director in Western Mindanao; and Senior Supt. Raul Petrasanta of PMA Class 1984 who will be the new PNP Firearms and Explosives Office director.

Congratulations too to newly-promoted Chief Supt. Pat Hernandez of PMA Class 1981 and soon-to-be Chief Supt. Dado Ramos of PMA Class 1983, the new Executive Office of the Directorate for Intelligence.