By ALFREDO P HERNANDEZ
A GRAVE concern over security has
been the staple of Facebook postings since last week among Mambulaoans, both
overseas and those in town.
The deluge of outraged comments
was sparked by three incidents of armed robberies last Thursday night at sitio
Tumbaga, San Rafael just outside of Mambulao town proper.
They were more incensed over
reports that the local police did not bother to send a team to investigate,
despite a request for such after it was reported at the police headquarters in
town.
Rodel Bang Occiano, who is based
in Taytay, Rizal, said his sibling’s family in Tumbaga, San Rafael, just
outside of Mambulao town proper, was among the three families held up by armed,
bonnet-wearing, hooded men.
Occiano posted a brief report on
the incident on the Facebook account of Jose Panganiban, CamNorte.
He said the suspects broke into
the house of his sibling and took everything of value.
Occiano described the men as
“wielding firearms and wearing bonnet-hoods”.
“Mata lang po nila ang nakikita,”
he said, quoting a member of his family whom he talked to over the cellphone.
“Ngayon lang po nangyari ito sa
aming lugar … sana po maaksyunan ng kapulisan ang insidente…(this was the first
time it happened in our area … I appeal to the local police to do something
about the incident.”
Occiano said in follow up
postings: “Hindi ko po alam kung bakit walang police na pumunta (I did not know
why police did not come to investigate).
“Ang sabi po ng mga pulis (in
Mambulao) matapos na ireport kagabi sa headquarters ay: “bahala na raw po ang mga
tanod na magronda”.
Occiano said he learned from his
family that the local police beefed up its check points along the baranggay
road from Sta Rosa, Norte.
“But my point is that the police
should have sent a team to investigate the incident … that’s the first job they
have to do…”
He said he did not believe that
the local unit of the New People’s Army in CamNorte had something to do with
the robbery.
Earlier reports had it that a
similar modus operandi – armed men wearing bonnets --- was carried out by
culprits in Gumaus, a baranggay at the neighboring town of Paracale, which
shares borders with Barangay Tedi.
Most victims of break-and-enter
were families of overseas workers, according to some postings.
Facebookers suspected that the
incident was linked to the nearing baranggay (village) election.
“Maaring malalaking tao ang
involved dito para may pang-finance sila sa kanilang mga kandidato para sa
baranggay chairman… kung totoong linked ito sa eleksyon,” says one Facebooker,
who is using the name “Kasandra Et Robin”.
Rhea Gallardo Bagapuro posted in
mocking tone: Kulang sa dunong po anu ang mga pulis… patabaing baboy … ala mga
silbi… very funny sila.. sweldo lang ang inaatupag…”
Saul Bermas posted an appeal:
“Parang awa na ng mga pulis kahit ngayon lang umakyat sila ng San Rafael para
maimbestigahan nila ang kaso… hindi na biro ang mga nangyayari ngayon …
nakakabahala na…”
Richard R Grutas posted: “Sana
nga makarating ang ating kapulisan diyan sa San Rafael… hindi na sila
maglalakad pa tulad ng dati …ngayon pwede nang gumamit ng sasakyan .. hindi na
mahirap puntahan ang lugar na ito… bigyan naman ng pansin yan kahit malayo sa
bayan … sana ang mungkahi ng taong-bayan ay tugunan…”
Baguio City-based Nvr Rodelas
observed in his posting that “we don’t have that much police force to cover the
whole of JP (Jose Panganiban) … yung iba ginagamit pang security ng mga (gold
mining) financiers.”
He also suggested the creation of
baranggay ronda (village roaming security team).
Facebooker Chelsie Ramiel
expressed his surprise: Madami na palang nangyayari diyan sa ating bayan…”
He advised residents to take
extra precaution always…”
Some Facebookers suspected that
the culprits could be those who settled in Mambulao with no regular source of
income and were allegedly engaged in criminal activities.
Facebookers have suggested that
there should be more police visibility in crime-prone areas across the
municipality to be complemented by baranggay ronda teams, especially at night,
who will check every unidentified individuals seen in the area.
Mambulao is estimated to have
more than 50,000 residents spread across the municipality’s 27 baranggays.
On the other hand, the local unit
of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has about 20 men who work in shifts.
For feedback, email:
ahernandez@thenational.com.pg and
alfredophernandez@y7mail.com
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