Private armed groups tightly watched in Ecija

CABANATUAN CITY , Philippines  – The Philippine National Police is seeking to dismantle three private armed groups reportedly operating in Nueva Ecija which are reportedly out to sow terrorism and chaos in the forthcoming May elections.

Senior Superintendent Ricardo Marquez, PNP provincial director, told reporters in a press conference following the first joint conference of the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Commission on Elections at the Wesleyan University of the Philippines ampitheater here Thursday, that they are looking into the activities of the three PAGs which are operating in the first and second congressional districts and in the boundaries of the third and fourth congressional districts.

“We are validating the existence of these three PAGs and once we have validated them, we will move to neutralize them,” he said.

The first and second congressional districts are located in northern Nueva Ecija, considered the bailiwicks of Reps. Eduardo Nonato Joson and Joseph Gilbert Violago while the third and fourth districts are turfs of Gov. Aurelio Umali and Rep. Rodolfo Antonino. 

Marquez said some of these PAGs are engaged in criminal activities with standing warrants of arrest for armed robbery and gun-for-hire activities. He identified one of the PAGs as “Alakdan and Kamagong.”

Marquez said that some of these PAGs lie low during normal times but surface during the election season reportedly at the behest of unscrupulous politicians. “When it is not election time, they don’t show themselves,” he said, adding the three are now under surveillance by his men.

Saying that the PNP is not beholden to local politicians, he said they would see to it that PAGs are crushed before the May polls and not wait for the recommendation of the independent commission created to dismantle private armies.