The Southern Police District (SPD) recorded another significant accomplishment in its intensified campaign against criminality following the arrest of three individuals in separate police operations in Las Piñas City on Friday, 5 June.

Personnel of Daniel Fajardo Sub-Station 1, in coordination with the Tactical Motorcycle Riding Unit and the District Mobile Force Battalion, were conducting a checkpoint operation at Pinaglabanan Bridge along Diego Cera Avenue, Barangay Zapote, Las Piñas City, at about 5:55 PM when two motorcycle-riding suspects attempted to evade police inspection.

The suspects, identified by their aliases as Virgilio, 49; and John, 20, ignored police directives and attempted to flee the checkpoint. During the pursuit, the suspects reportedly shouted provocative remarks at the operating personnel. Through the immediate and coordinated actions of the responding officers, the suspects were successfully intercepted and apprehended.

During the arrest, alias Virgilio allegedly attempted to draw a firearm but was swiftly subdued by the operating team. Recovered from his possession were one Springfield Armory caliber .45 pistol with a magazine and five live rounds of ammunition. A subsequent body search conducted on alias John resulted in the recovery of two heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing approximately 0.6 gram, with an estimated standard drug price of P4,080.

Appropriate charges for violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code, Illegal Possession of Firearm under Republic Act No. 10591, and violation of Section 11, Article II of Republic Act No. 9165 are being prepared against the suspects.

In a separate incident at about 9:50 p.m. on the same date, personnel of Talon Sub-Station responded to reports of a man causing a disturbance while armed with a firearm in Barangay Talon Dos, Las Piñas City.

Acting on information provided by concerned security guards, responding officers immediately proceeded to the area and found the suspect, identified as alias JR, 22, creating a public disturbance while openly carrying a firearm. The operating personnel promptly pacified the situation and placed the suspect under arrest without incident.

Recovered from his possession was one caliber .22 revolver loaded with three live rounds of ammunition. The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights before being brought to a medical facility for examination and subsequently turned over to investigators for proper disposition.

Charges for Alarms and Scandals and violation of Republic Act No. 10591 are being readied for filing against the suspect before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Las Piñas through inquest proceedings. NEIL ALCOBER