SENIOR Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. on Saturday urged Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Marbil to boost police presence in the province in the wake of the latest threat of violence particularly in his constituency.

Gonzales made the appeal a day after reporting to Marbil the death threat received by Barangay Captain Amando Santos of San Agustin, San Fernando City, the province’s capital, which is part of his district.

The House leader thanked the PNP chief for immediately taking action.

However, he urged Marbil to increase police visibility and patrols in his district and other parts of Pampanga and augment local police forces to avert the possibility of violence, whether related to the forthcoming May 2025 elections or not.

“We wish our communities to be peaceful and violence-free. We don’t want any further harm on any of our local officials and constituents.

We have already lost six of them, including three barangay captains in San Fernando City, to assassins,” he said.

On Friday, Marbil informed Gonzales that Col. Jay Dimaandal, PNP Provincial Director for Pampanga, personally interviewed Barangay Captain Santos about the death threat the latter received on a piece paper sealed in an envelope together with the barangay officer’s crossed-out picture. A mobile phone number was also written on the paper.

The PNP chief said Santos “attempted to contact and engage the provided cellphone number, but to no avail as it was offline.”

“As a result, the incident was recorded in the blotter of both the barangay and the police station of San Fernando City, Pampanga. Furthermore, tracking of the location and possible identification of the owner of the cellphone number is ongoing,” Marbil said.

He said the local police is also reviewing CCTV footages in the area.

At the same time, the PNP chief directed the San Fernando City police station to “intensify one-on-one security” for officials in their jurisdiction “to preempt any untoward incidents.”

Gonzales said lawless elements continue to make threats of violence in his province despite the high-profile investigation launched recently by the House of Representatives committee on public order and safety on six unsolved killings in his district.

“Maybe, this is because these senseless killings, which happened between April 30, 2022 and Nov. 12 last year, have remained unsolved and the suspects are still at large. We in the House will continue to look into these cases,” he said.

Gonzales has vowed to leave no stone unturned until justice is achieved for the victims and their families.

He urged his constituents to report to the police any information they have on these cases and on any threat of violence in their barangays.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco