CAMP GEN. PACIANO RIZAL, Laguna – The Laguna Police Provincial Office has formed a special investigation team that will focus on solving shooting incidents and missing persons from 2004 to this year in the fourth district of the province.
Police Col. Randy Glenn Silvio, Laguna police chief, will personally lead and manage the team.
Silvio said the special team is composed of the Command Group of the Laguna Philippine National Police which will handle the initiatives and overall objectives; the Criminal Investigation and Detection Team (CIDT) Laguna Field Office, which will assist in the investigation of crimes; and the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) 4-A, which will assist in the investigation and identification of possible suspects.
Also included in the team are the Laguna Provincial Forensic Unit (PFU) for processing and cross-matching of firearms that may have been used and involved in past crimes; the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU) 4-A for technical support to the investigation; the Provincial Highway Patrol Team (PHPT-Laguna) for identifying all the vehicles that may have been used in crime; the Provincial Legal Unit (PLU) to provide legal assistance to PNP personnel, and the chiefs of the Santa Maria, Siniloan, Famy, and Mabitac Municipal Police Stations.
There have been 16 shooting incidents and missing persons in the fourth district while 18 people have been recorded as victims.
Among the victims are three elected government officials, 11 private individuals, three gambling personalities, and retired police from the year 2004 to the present, Silvio said.
The formation of the teams is aimed at speeding up the delivery of justice to the families of the 18 victims, Silvio said.
“I am asking for the support of our citizens, especially those in the fourth district of Laguna province, to cooperate and provide additional information to our police that may help in the immediate resolution of recent incidents,” he added.
Silvio’s message to the families of the 18 victims is for them not to lose hope, as the Laguna police, he said, will not stop until they are able to identify the people involved and file appropriate charges.
“Don't be afraid of the people involved, because they will not stop killing and abducting if you keep your mouths shut and we will not take any action to make them accountable to the law," said Silvio.