Anti-crime group gets new name

FOLLOWING the involvement of its members in several controversies, the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) of the Cebu City police has been renamed Barangay Peace Action Team (BPAT).

Members of the anti-crime group who were facing complaints or found to be involved in illegal activities were kicked out, said Chief Insp. Romeo Santander, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) of the Cebu City Police Office.

Santander said that from 700 members last January, the group now has only 200 active members.

Two BIN members were involved in homicide cases in Cebu last month, said police.

Allan Sanchez and Gualberto Librando were tagged as suspects in the killing of Glenn Parawan, 32, and his 17-year-old cousin Manuel Parawan III last Holy Week.

Librando was arrested while Sanchez remains at large.

A few weeks ago, Efren Navales and Mark Anthony Boyo, both BIN members, were implicated in the killing of Mario Bantasan in barangay Banilad, Cebu City.

Santander said the process of recruiting members will be reviewed following the cases involving the group’s members./CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON