Abra folk feel the heat of checkpoints

BANGUED, Abra — Checkpoints that have sprung up in this province as part of the police crackdown on private armed groups, have not spared anyone, even fiscals, judges and the lawmen themselves.

Although local lawyers said they have no problem with the checkpoints, young human rights lawyer Joselito Benedito said Special Action Force (SAF) men manning them should be reminded of the citizens’ constitutional rights.

"We have to remind them that they should not forget their constitutional duty to always respect the citizens’ rights as guaranteed by the Constitution," he said.

Benedito recalled an incident where a provincial fiscal was obliged to open his vehicle’s glove compartment and trunk.

He said the prosecutor invoked his right against unreasonable searches. "What if he is not a fiscal but an ordinary citizen who (is not aware of) his constitutional right?" he said.

Benedito also warned that illegal searches might lead to policemen fishing for evidence.

Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Ebardo, SAF commander, gave assurance that his men will follow the rule of law.

Since the checkpoints were put up, he said there have been no indiscriminate firings of firearms in the province, especially in this capital town.

Gov. Vicente Valera, however, said, "Anyway, this is not permanent." He hopes that peace will finally reign in the province by December.

Valera has high hopes that the checkpoints will help rid Abra of private armed groups.

Last Tuesday, he led the province’s 27 mayors in surrendering unlicensed firearms. To date, 27 firearms, some of them high-powered, have been turned over to Task Force Abra, led by Chief Superintendent Rowland Albano.

"We hope to receive more," said Valera who, along with Ebardo, met again with the mayors to reiterate their call for the surrender of loose firearms.