LINGAYEN— No way you are going to keep the shotguns.
This was the gist of message of the police provincial command to the more than 1,300 barangay chairmen of Pangasinan have been given until Monday, October 4, to turn over their issued shotguns to their respective police stations in compliance with the gun ban currently in effect for the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Superintendent Harris Fama, deputy police provincial director for operations, said that while full compliance is being awaited, Senior Superintendent Rosueto Ricaforte, police provincial director already directed all chiefs of police to collect the shotguns from individual barangay captains from their homes.
Fama said kapitans have been slow in complying with the order.
To date, only the barangay chairmen of Bautista and Binalonan towns have voluntarily turned over their shotguns to their respective police stations.
“Either they submit their shotguns or the police will collect these from them,” said Fama, noting the hesitancy of some barangay chairmen to bring their issued shotguns to the police station for fear that they might be apprehended at checkpoints and charged for violating the gun ban.
These shotguns were issued by the provincial government to the kapitans through the Police Provincial Office.
Barangay kapitans in the province who did not receive a shotgun include those in Dagupan, being an independent-component city and is not under the provincial government, and 25 of the 39 in Alaminos City who declined at the suggestion of Mayor Hernani Braganza citing that these weapons are not necessary given the good peace and order situation in the city.
ARRESTS
Meanwhile, Fama announced that as of September 30, six persons have been arrested in Pangasinan for violating the gun ban.Two of the suspects were arrested for intimidating other persons with their guns, three others were nabbed with bladed weapons, and another for possessing a toy gun replica which is among those being banned to be carried outside of residence during the official election period from September 25 to November 10.
Fama also said all police stations have been directed to conduct checkpoints, both scheduled and unscheduled, to be manned by uniformed policemen, headed by an officer.—LM
GOOD TO BE IN WATCHLIST, SAYS FAMA
IT’S not a bad thing to be in the watchlist of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Philippine National Police.This was the clarification made by Supt. Harris Fama, Pangasinan police deputy director for operations, following complaints made by some local government officials whose towns or cities have been included in the list of places to watch during the campaign period and on election day for the October 26 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
“Huwag bigyan ng masamang kahulugan ang paglalagay ng isang lugar sa Comelec-PNP watchlist,” Fama said
“Hindi porque nasa watchlist na ang isang bayan ay ibig sabihin magulo na,” he added.
Fama told the concerned mayors to look at the brighter side of the situation, which is there will be increased support from the police force.
Included in the watchlist are the cities of Dagupan and San Carlos, and the towns of Urbiztondo, Bayambang, Sta. Maria, Tayug, Natividad and San Quintin.
Among those who complained about being in the list include Dagupan Mayor Benjamin Lim and Rodrigo Rafael of Natividad.
CHALLENGE
Fama said being on the watchlist should also be treated as a challenge by the mayor and the local police chief to prove that their area is indeed peaceful and orderly.“Patunayan nila na talagang tahimik sa kanilang lugar. Next election mawawala na sila sa listahan,” he said.
Fama explained that the listing was drawn after a thorough evaluation by a panel using reports from police stations on previous incidents, tension felt in the area and political rivalry.
Provincial Elections Officer Reddy Balarbar earlier said the two cities and six towns have been tagged as areas of concern in this election due to perceived intense rivalry among candidates.
DAGUPAN
In Dagupan, City Comelec officer, Atty. Remarque Ravanzo said he welcomes the inclusion of the city under the watchlist citing the same reason as Fama’s.“I have nothing against it dahil ang mangyayari mas lalong mababantayan natin ang peace and order dito sa Dagupan. We will be having augmentation of our police force,” Ravanzo said.
For his part, the city’s police chief, Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr., said a dialogue and peace agreement signing will be organized.
“The Comelec and the PNP will schedule a dialogue with all the possible candidates to explain some important election rules and regulations and come up with the signing of a peace covenant,” Caramat said.
He also assured Dagupenos that the PNP will enforce the full force of the law regardless of the personalities that may be involved in any election related violence.
Source
