PALAYAN CITY – A five-day intensified Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO) in Central Luzon have resulted in the arrest of some 1,925 persons – 24 were most wanted men, 279 have arrest warrants for various crimes, 366 were drug offenders, and 1,280 were violators of special laws and local ordinances, as well as the confiscation of 310 assorted weapons, some 1,134 sachets of shabu and marijuana along with over P90,000 in illegal gambling money.
These SACLEO accomplishments by the Police Regional Office 3 from August 19 to 23 amid the COVID-19 pandemic were presented by its chief, Brigadier General Rhodel O. Sermonia to the media during his command visit to Nueva Ecija on Friday.
Witnessing the presentation which was held at the Palayan City Business Hub for the first time here were newly-installed provincial police officer-in-charge Col. Marvin Joe C. Saro, Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Mae “Rianne” J. Cuevas, and Usec. Joel M. Sy Egco, executive officer of Presidential Task Force on Media Security.
Gov. Aurelio M. Umali, who was the affair’s invited guest of honor, did not attend and was said to be indisposed, according to Sermonia.
“I think it is very successful, it goes to show that tayo po ay maganda ang unity, kasi iyun ang pinaka-importante, united to heal as one, at isang magandang pagkakataon ito para bigyan ng recognition ang ating kapulisan na ginagawa nila ang kanilang trabaho and it is also an opportunity para pasalamatan ang ating mga local chief executives at mga stakeholders na tumulong habang tayo ay nasa gitna ng pandemya,” Sermonia told mediamen when asked to comment about his SACLEO accomplishments shortly after the PRO3 chief concluded his live TV program “Rektang Konek-Aksyon Agad” with co-hosts Usec. Egco and Brig. Gen. Rex Dela Rosa, deputy regional director for administration, and with special guests Mayor Cuevas and San Jose City Mayor Mario “Kokoy” Salvador.
Prior to his TV program, Sermonia also conducted the traditional “talk-to-men” to all the 32 chiefs of police and mobile group commanders and asked them about the peace and order situation in the province.
Earlier in the first part of the program that was held at the NEPPO gymnasium in Cabanatuan, Saro presented his SACLEO accomplishments which involved the arrest of 62 drug traffickers, 39 most wanted persons, 10 illegal gambling violators and the seizure of seven loose firearms, the surrender of 24 guns under the Balik-Baril program and 20 others for safekeeping.
Sermonia lauded the efforts of Saro, who assumed the top police provincial post on August 21 in an acting capacity vice Col. Leon Victor Rosete, who was abruptly relieved by the PRO3 chief and re-assigned to Camp Crame.
In his message, the PRO-3 chief vouched for Saro’s capability as the new acting PD as he urged all police commanders in the province to give their full support to him.
Meanwhile, Sermonia also told newsmen that they already have identified so-called “persons of interest” in the killing of two police officers in San Antonio and in Gapan City. “Very soon we are going to file charges against those people involved in these illegal activities,” he said.
During the same SACLEO presentation in Cabanatuan City, Sermonia awarded medals and plaques of appreciation to police commanders who were instrumental in the success of the police’s anti-criminality and anti-illegal drugs campaigns.
Topping the list with four awarded recognitions, including the most number of SACLEO accomplishments in the City level was San Jose City police station headed by Lt. Col. Heryl L. Bruno. Next was the Guimba police under Lt. Col. Kevin Bulayungan under Class A municipality, then Aliaga police led by Major Marlon G. Serna (Class B municipality) and the Peñaranda police (Class C municipality) led by Capt. Willard Dulnuan.
