PRO-7 creates own SWAT team

CEBU, Philippines — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 has formed its own elite unit of cops fully-equipped and trained with specialized skills.

PRO-7 Chief Debold Sinas said a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team of the regional headquarters would supersede other SWAT units from the city and the province.

He said that the SWAT teams are considered the best among each unit in the respective city and provincial police offices.

He said that these skilled policemen are trained for six months, not only for competitions, but also meant to respond to emergency situations.

“Dili ni nako i-dissolve.  It will become now the PRO-7 headquarters’ SWAT team over and above ng SWAT team (of other units).  If naa bigtime operations, they will be ready,” Sinas said.

He said that the 14-man team of the PRO-7 will join in a competition with other SWAT teams nationwide on Tuesday.

The competition, which will be held in Davao City, will be attended by high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) led by Director-General Oscar Albayalde.

Last year, it was Cebu City Police Office and Mandaue City Police Office that represented PRO-7.

It was brought up before that CCPO’s team did have enough training time to emerge as winners in the nationwide competition.

Sinas also emphasized that, as an elite unit, SWAT teams should only respond when the situation has escalated to a worst case scenario.

He said that SWAT teams are not meant to patrol the streets.

To recall, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena previously called for CCPO Director Royina Garma to deploy SWAT teams to patrol the city streets at night.

To comply with the mayor’s request, Garma has deployed her cops at night but, due to lack of enough personnel, the SWAT team in CCPO only patrols at select areas of convergence like the I.T Park in Barangay Apas and along Mango Avenue.

“Ang SWAT kasi will always be the last recourse, dili na sila first recourse.  Dili na ginagamit pang-patrolya, panghulga, they are the last recourse. Kapag ginamit nimo na, we should be ready to answer, to shoot or not to shoot,” Sinas said. (FREEMAN)