With crimes, especially killings committed with impunity, still unabated, Senator Dick Gordon has called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to invest on police visibility and on conducting intelligence operations.
Gordon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, said law enforcers should be more proactive, by taking actions to prevent crimes instead of just waiting for crimes to happen before taking action.
“Dapat ang law enforcers natin, hindi naghihintay na may mangyari, dapat preventive. They should invest in police visibility. There must be an investment on police visibility. They should always be looking out for lawless elements. Nung nasa SBMA ako, namili ako ng police cars para ang mga police nakakapag-ronda to prevent crimes,” the seasoned legislator said.
“Law enforcers should invest in police visibility. There must be an investment on police visibility. They should always be looking out for lawless elements.”
The veteran lawmaker said the police should also strictly implement the law against illegal possession of firearms and arrest people who are carrying guns without proper papers. And with the PNP having a big intelligence fund, law enforcers should also know who are practicing target-shooting.
“They should not punish those who should legitimately possess firearms. Legitimate people should be allowed to carry firearms as long as they have the proper permits. Pero dapat yung mga loko-loko, nache-check nila yan. If there were more policemen to do that, there would be less crimes,” the senator stressed.
“They should not punish those who should legitimately possess firearms. Legitimate people should be allowed to carry firearms as long as they have the proper permits.”
Following the assassination last week of businessman Dominic Sytin, Gordon also called on the security personnel of different establishments to be more alert and for barangay officials to do their jobs in order to prevent crimes.
“Every hotel has a security guard yet Dominic Sytin was gunned down in front of the Lighthouse Hotel in the Subic Freeport Zone, right outside the front lobby, where there are usually more security personnel posted. Sytin’s security had a gun but he was still shot. Security guards should be more alert,” he said.
Gordon earlier deplored the assassination of Sytin, who was but the latest victim in a series of killings over the years where business people, politicians, newsmen, activists and ordinary citizens were felled by bullets with seeming ease and impunity.
Sytin and his bodyguard, Efren Espartero, were about to enter the Lighthouse Marina Resort Hotel in Subic’s busy Central Business District at about 7:30 p.m. on November 28, when an unidentified male suspect fired at close range, shooting Sytin at the back and left part of the head. Espartero tried to fire back, but the assailant turned on him, too, hitting his right arm and right torso.
Sytin was the founder and chief officer of United Auctioneers Inc., an industrial auction company based in the Subic Freeport Zone and was also a part owner of the ACEA Subic Bay resort.
