PNP to maintain ‘aggressive’ drive against private armed groups

5,000 assorted and unuseable firearms are destroyed during a ceremonial demilitarization and destruction of confiscated and surrendered weapons in Camp Crame, Quezon City. The event was headed by former Philippine National Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar. The firearms were to be cut into pieces before disposal. (File photo by Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) will carry on with its combative stance against private armed groups.

This is the reaction of PNP public information office chief Redrico Maranan on Tuesday after the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) declared beleaguered Negros Oriental Representative Arnolfo Teves Jr. and 12 others “terrorists.”

“The policy and the campaign will still be the same. The campaign against PAGs (private armed groups) will continue thru aggressive and honest law enforcement operations,” Maranan told reporters in a Viber message.

Last May 22, police had said 48 armed groups were under surveillance.

These groups were in Central Luzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Caraga, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

PNP made this move to heighten security in preparation for the October 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

Maranan said of the 48 PAGs, three are active.

Earlier, ATC had released Resolution Number 63 dated July 26.

The document tagged Teves as the head of a “terror group” responsible for the death of late Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and other killings in the province.

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