Kampo Heneral Paciano Rizal – The Philippine National Police in Laguna province have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to focus on shooting incidents and missing persons from the year 2004 to the present in the 4th District of the province.
Police Col. Randy Glenn G. Silvio, Acting Director of the Laguna Provincial Police Office, will lead and manage the team to solve the killings and disappearance of several personalities in the 4th District, made up of the capital municipality of Santa Cruz and the eastern towns of Cavinti, Famy, Kalayaan, Luisiana, Lumban, Mabitac, Magdalena, Majayjay, Paete, Pagsanjan, Pakil, Pangil, Pila, Santa Maria, and Siniloan.
The SIT includes the Command Group of the Laguna PNP, which will manage the initiatives and overall objectives; Criminal Investigation and Detection Team (CIDT) Laguna Field Office, which will assist in the investigation of crimes;
Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU-4A), which assists in the investigation and identification of possible suspects; Laguna Provincial Forensic Unit (PFU), for processing cross-matching of firearms that may have been used and involved in past crimes; Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU-4A), which will help to provide technical support to the investigation;
Provincial Highway Patrol Team (PHPT-Laguna), dedicated to identifying all vehicles that may have been used in crime; Provincial Legal Unit (PLU), which will provide legal assistance to PNP personnel; and the SIT, which also includes the Chiefs of the Sta. Maria, Siniloan, Famy, and Mabitac Municipal Police Stations (MPS) to support the formed Special Investigation Team.
Sixteen shooting incidents and missing persons have been recorded in the 4th District, with 18 people recorded as victims.
Among the victims are three elected government officials, 11 private individuals, three gambling personalities, and one retired policeman from the year 2004 to the present, the Laguna PPO said in a statement.
“The formation of the SIT that will focus on the incidents that occurred in the 4th District of Laguna will speed up the delivery of justice to the families of the 18 victims of the incident that happened to them,” Silvio said.
“I am asking for the support of our citizens, especially those in the 4th 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.
To the families of the 18 victims, Silvio said: “Don’t lose hope, the Laguna police will stop at nothing to identify and file appropriate charges against the people involved in their deaths and the disappearance of some.”
“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 take any action available to make them accountable to the law,” said the Acting Provincial Director. Roy Tomandao