Eleazar to police chiefs: Strengthen defense plan vs threat groups

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. Image from PNP

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday said that he has ordered all police chiefs and unit commanders to strengthen their respective defense plans against threat groups.

“Inatasan ko na ang lahat ng chiefs of police at unit commanders, especially in areas with presence of large threat groups, na maging alerto at palakasin ang kanilang defense plan sa mga police station at sa mga pulis na nagsasagawa ng responde at pag-patrolya,” Eleazar said in a video message.

(I directed all police chiefs and unit commanders, especially in areas with the presence of large threat groups, to be on alert and strengthen their defense plan in police stations and for those policemen responding and patrolling.)

This, after a patrolman, was injured after he was ambushed by unidentified gunmen in Indanan, Sulu on Friday evening.

Based on reports, the police personnel were onboard a patrol vehicle heading to Maimbung Municipal Police Station when they were ambushed.

An investigation is currently underway to identify the gunmen.

According to Eleazar, they are not ruling out the possibility that some groups are aiming to snatch the service firearms of the police personnel, among others.

“Maigting ang ating kampanya laban sa mga loose firearms at hindi natin inaalis ang posibilidad na pag-initan ang aming mga armas pati na rin ang posibilidad na pag-atake sa aming hanay upang ipakita na malakas pa rin ang kanilang puwersa upang gawing dahilan ng extortion sa mga kandidato sa panahon ng kampanya,” he explained.

(We have a tight campaign against loose firearms and we’re not ruling out the possibility that they want it as well as the possibility of attacking our force to show that they are stronger than us and use this as extortion among candidates.)

Further, Eleazar told the public to cooperate and report to the police any suspicious-looking individuals, who could threaten public safety.

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/MUF