PGMA's Remarks during the Presentation of seven members of the Bucala kidnap for ransom gruop and a former policeman suspected of leading the Kurano kidnap for ransom group

Camp Crame Headquarters, Quezon City (08 Aug 2002)


OF THE PNP CONTINUES TO BE ON A WROUGHT. TWO MORE
DEADLY BLOWS HAVE BEEN STRUCK AGAINST KIDNAP FOR RANSOM GANGS: FIRST,
SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE LUCIDO-ESPILLORE SUB-GROUP OF THE BUCALA KIDNAP FOR
RANSOM GROUP WERE ARRESTED BY POLICE OPERATIVES BEFORE THEY COULD CARRY
OUT ANOTHER KIDNAPPING LAST AUGUST 6 IN DASMARIŅAS. IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN I
GAVE MY STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS, I SAID THAT THERE ARE TWO KIDNAP
GROUPS THAT ARE NUMBER ONE AND TWO IN THE ORDER OF BATTLE. ONE IS THE
BUCALA GROUP, THE OTHER ONE IS THE FAJARDO GROUP AND WITH THE VILLAVER
GROUP IS A SUB-GROUP OF THE FAJARDO GROUP AND THEY WERE RENDERED
NEUTRALIZED WITH THAT SHOOTOUT THAT ATTENDED THE ARREST OPERATIONS IN
MARILAO, A FEW WEEKS AGO. AND NOW THIS GROUP IS A SUB -GROUP OF THE BUCALA
GROUP - THE NUMBER ONE KIDNAP FOR RANSOM GROUP. THEY WERE ARMED AND READY
BUT OUR PNP STOPPED THEM COLD. THESE MEMBERS OF THE KIDNAP GANG - THE
BUCALA GROUP WERE CAUGHT IN CAVITE, JUST AS THEY WERE ABOUT TO POUNCE ON
THEIR VICTIMS. THOSE ARRESTED HAD IN THEIR POSSESSION HIGH POWERED
FIREARMS. THEY HAVE BEEN CHARGED .... ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS.

IN THE BEGINNING, IT WAS THE PLAN OF THE POLICE TO CATCH THEM IN THE ACT
BECAUSE THERE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ALREADY INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION. BUT
THIS IS CONSIDERED TOO RISKY FOR THE WOULD BE VICTIMS. WE WONT NAME THESE
WOULD BE VICTIMS FOR SECURITY REASONS. WE HAVE TO PUT TARGET FAMILIES OUT
OF ARMS WAY. GET THE KIDNAPPERS, SECURE THEIR INTENDED TARGETS. THAT IS
OUR STRATEGY. SO, WHERE ARE THESE BUCALA GUYS ............. OKAY. OH,
IYONG ISA NAMAN.

JUST THIS MORNING, A FORMER POLICEMAN EX PO3 ENGELBERTO DURANO WHO WAS
WANTED FOR MURDER AND FOR THE KIDNAPPING OF JAMES RYAN YU IN CEBU CITY
LAST YEAR, WAS ARRESTED AT THE NAIA AS HE WAS BOARDING A PLANE FOR
BACOLOD.

I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE GENERAL SONNY RAZON WHO UNTIL RECENTLY WAS
REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR REGION VII AND WHO KNOWS THIS CASE VERY WELL-- FOR
LEADING THE TEAM THAT LED TO THE ARREST THIS MORNING. SO CAN WE HAVE THE
OTHER GUY? NANDIYAN BA? OKAY. SO THIS IS A FORMER POLICEMAN ENGELBERTO
DURANO. HE IS THE LEADER OF A SECOND SYNDICATE AND WE CONGRATULATE HIM.

IN BOTH CASES, CLOSE COORDINATION AND GOOD INTER OPERABILITY BETWEEN
UNITS BROUGHT ABOUT THIS MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. WHEN GENERAL EBDANE BECAME
HEAD OF THE PNP, HE SAID THE MOTTO OF THE PNP IS: "ONE, O-N-E, ONE PNP" AND
THEY ARE WORKING AS ONE PNP. THE CONSOLE OF UNIFIED COMMAND IS FULLY
IMPLEMENTED AND WORKING WELL. AND OUR FIGHT AGAINST KIDNAPPERS IS MORE
THE BETTER FOR YOU. THESE EVENTS ARE NOT HAPPENING BY ACCIDENT. THIS IS
THE RESULT OF COORDINATION, TEAMWORK AND CONCERTED ACTION BY OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THE MILITARY UNDER THE UNIFIED COMMAND CONCEPT.

THESE TWO INCIDENTS SHOW THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD BOTH IN OUR
INTERDICTION AS WELLL AS PREVENTION MODE. THIS MEANS OUR INTELLIGENT
RESOURCES ARE PAYING OFF AND THAT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. WE WILL NOT
LET THIS CAST GET AWAY. IN FACT, WE WILL TRY TO GET THEM WHILE THEY ARE
STILL PLANNING OUT THEIR MOVES. WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WE WILL GET
THEM.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE OUR PEOPLE THAT THEIR FAITH IN LAW AND JUSTICE SHALL
BE REDEEMED. I WILL NOT RELENT ON MY CRUSADE FOR A MORALLY UPRIGHT AND
LAWFUL SOCIETY.

ON THE GROUND, I AM HAPPY TO HEAR FROM A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT THE RESULT OF
POLICE ACTION ARE BEING TALKED ABOUT, BEING NOTICED BY THE CITIZENS. AND
THAT'S WHY MORE AND MORE INFORMATION AGAINST CRIMINAL IS BEING GIVEN TO THE
POLICE AND THAT IS WHY MORE ARREST ARE BEING DONE EVERYDAY.

I HAVE EVERY REASON TO STAND BY OUR POLICE FORCE AS THEY DELIVER ON THEIR
COMMITMENT TO WORK HARDER AND WORK BETTER AGAINST CRIMINALS.

WE WILL PUSH HARDER AGAINST THE KIDNAPPERS AND ALL OTHER CRIMINALS
EVERYDAY.W E WILL NOT STOP.

NOW AS FOR THE CONTROVERSY ABOUT SHOWING CRIMINALS BEFORE THE PUBLIC, WELL,
DEBATE IS FREE IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY BUT LET ME DECLARE: I WILL CONTINUE
TO MAKE THE ROUNDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND RECENT CRIMINALS
BEFORE THE PUBLIC. I WILL TEACH THE LESSON BY HUMILIATION IF NECESSARY AND
FOLLOW IT UP WITH SPEEDY PROSECUTION. THIS WILL NOT ABATE UNTIL WE HAVE
SHOWN A CLEAR MANIFESTATION IN OUR SERIOUSNESS AND SINCERITY IN THIS
CAMPAIGN.
THANK YOU.

NOW YOU MAY ASK GENERAL EBDANE AND GENERAL RAZON MORE ABOUT THE CASES IF
YOU WISH. THANK YOU.

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