Laguna on double alert

STA. CRUZ, Laguna – Police have placed Laguna on double red alert status following the liquidation of the police chief of Cabuyao town last Friday by four unidentified armed men.

Senior Superintendent Edwin Corvera, Laguna police director, aired this even as Laguna Governor Teresita "Ningning" Lazaro launched yesterday what she termed as "Pagbabalik-loob" program for insurgents, more particularly the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, to return to the folds of the law. The program was spearheaded by the Laguna Area Coordination Center in cooperation with the Philippine Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade.

Corvera said Paglinawan’s deep involvement in the anti-insurgency drive during his stint as executive officer of the then 223rd Laguna Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (PC-INP) in 1989 could have led to his liquidation.

Paglinawan was ambushed at about 8 a.m. in barangay Lumil, Silang Cavite on Friday by four suspects armed with .45 cal. Pistol and were in their early 20s, the hallmarks of NPA in carrying out their liquidation activities.

Corvera said he created a task force to investigate all angles behind Paglinawan’s killing, including land dispute, hired killers and crime syndicates. Results of the investigation would be forwarded to the Cavite police to help solve the killing, Corvera said.

The Laguna police were also looking at the alleged involvement of Paglinawan in the violent dispersals of striking-workers of Nestle Philippines Inc. in Cabuyao town several months ago. – Rene Alviar