THE Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) has gained a major headway in its campaign against criminality and other forms of lawlessness in Bicol region since last August, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

Apart from solving majority of all recorded crimes in the region, the PRO5 headed by Brigadier General Rudolph B. Dimas has also scored big in its campaign against illegal drug trafficking and wanted persons in Bicol.

Last August, the Bicol police force solved nearly 79 percent of all recorded crimes in the region. Brig. Gen. Dimas said that out of the 1,719 crime incidents they investigated since last August 8, a total of 1,351 or 78.59% of the entire reported crimes had been “solved”.

Last week, the official said a string of anti-criminality operations in Bicol resulted in the arrest of four top drug targets and two most wanted persons in the region.

In a report to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr., the PRO5 director said one of the suspects identified as Gregorio Richelieu Ayen, a 51-year-old resident of Zone 3, Barangay La Purisima in Pili, Camarines Sur yielded over P1 million worth of shabu during a sting in his neighborhood around 10:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Dimas said members of the Pili Municipal Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit confiscated 10 heat-sealed plastic sachets containing 150 grams of the so-called ‘poor man’s cocaine’ valued at P1.020 million, the buy-bust money topped by a marked P500 bill, a weighing scale and a caliber .38 revolver with two live ammunition from the suspect’s possession.

Two other suspects identified as Domingo Sta. Ana Jr., a 46-year-old ‘habal-habal’ driver and jobless Alvin Sarcon, 51, both residents of Sagrada Familia, Zone 7 in Bgy. Peñafrancia, Naga City were arrested by local police anti-narcotics officers after they conspired to sell shabu to a poseur-buyer 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Confiscated from the duo were four plastic sachets containing 3.5 grams of shabu worth P23,800, the boodle money topped by a marked P500 bill and a cal. .357 revolver with six bullets.

The 4th suspect is a Child in Conflict with Law, said the Bicol police director. According to the official, the young suspect was placed under arrest after he sold some P3,400 worth of shabu to an undercover agent in Purok Kalamansi in Bgy. Nagas in Tiwi, Albay 3:50 p.m. Wednesday.

The minor also yielded a marked P500 bill paid to him by the poseur.

Dimas also announced the arrest of Noe Balistoy, a 44-year old sales representative from Sto. Domingo, Albay who has been tagged as the 3rd most wanted person in the province.

He said the suspect was tracked down in his hiding place in Bgy. Kinabranan 2 in Allen, Northern Samar 3 p.m. Wednesday and was arrested by officers from the Albay Police Provincial Office on the strength of a warrant of arrest for qualified rape and violation of Republic Act 7610 of the anti-child abuse law issued by Judge Damidel Awayan-Sosito of the Legazpi City Regional Trial Court Branch 1.

No bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of the accused in connection with the qualified rape case filed against him.

The 2nd most wanted person arrested was identified as Eric Royo,28, a construction worker from Sitio Luroy in Bgy. Tinigban in Aroroy, Masbate.

The subject of a non-bailable warrant of arrest for two counts of murder issued by Judge Maximino Ables of the Masbate City RTC Branch 47, the suspect was arrested by local policemen in his hiding place in Bgy. Dayhagan in Aroroy municipality.

A member of the PNP Academy (PNPA) Class 1992, Dimas was designated as PRO5 director by Azurin last August. “We are being guided by Gen. Azurin’s principles of ‘Malasakit, Kaayusan, Kapayapaan tungo sa Kaunlaran.’” said the official in announcing the fruits of their unrelenting drive against criminality in Bicol.

Dimas has ordered all his provincial offices in Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Catanduanes and the seven city police offices in Legazpi, Naga, Iriga, Tabaco, Ligao, Sorsogon and Masbate to intensify their anti-criminality campaign further.

“We are going all-out against drugs, illegal gambling, loose firearms, wanted persons, criminal gangs, and insurgency,” Dimas said.

Since last August, the PRO5 had already launched over 600 anti-narcotics operations which resulted in the arrest of more than 300 suspects and the filing of over 200 cases for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 against the arrested suspects and the others who remained “at large”.

Dimas said that the anti-narcotics operations likewise resulted in the seizure of more than P15 million worth of shabu and dried marijuana leaves.

The official said they are continuing to widen their peacekeeping efforts anchored under the PNP chief’s concept of ‘Kaayusan’ and ‘Kapayapaan.’

He added that from August 3 to October 3, his men conducted a total of 96,232 foot and beat patrol while 6,769 mobile patrols.

This led to the decline of total crime incidents with 1,360 recorded. The official said that out of the total, 371 are index crimes while 989 are non-index crimes. He said that 90.81 percent of these cases were already’ ‘cleared’ while 69.26 percent were already ‘solved.’

Dimas said their own ‘war on drugs’ since last August has led to the conduct of 162 operations which resulted in the arrest of 21 ‘high-value individuals’ and 148 ‘street-level individuals.

The operations resulted in the confiscation of 176. 33 grams of marijuana and more than 3, 055.652 grams of shabu with an estimated Dangerous Drugs Board value of P22, 212, 662.08, he added.

Dimas said they also conducted 289 anti-illegal gambling operations which netted 781 violators and the confiscation of P240,896 in cash bets. The PRO5’s campaign against loose firearms likewise resulted in the arrest of 39 suspects, the death of three armed men in gunbattles with officers who tried to arrest them and the surrender of 39 others.

A total of 60 illegal guns were recovered during the period in review. Meanwhile, the regional police’s campaign against illegal logging resulted in the arrest of 90 suspects and the recovery of more than P352,000 worth of illegally-caught timber products.

The PRO5’s drive versus illegal fishing activities also led to the apprehension of 307 suspects and the seizure of an estimated P3.3 million worth of illegally-caught fish and fishing paraphernalia.

Dimas said their stepped-up campaign against criminal gangs also resulted in the arrest of six suspects, surrender of seven and recovery of one loose firearm.

The official said a total of 19 regional level most wanted persons or MWPs were arrested along with seven Provincial MWPs; 122 Municipal MWPs and 1,038 Other Wanted Persons.

“We stand firm with Gen. Azurin in realizing his vision for the PNP and the community, serving and protecting the Bicolano. This, we will do thru the MKK=K program, to serve as our guide as we propel the direction towards progress,” Dimas said.