Laguna cops collar 4 ‘protection agents’ of Chinese nat’ls
PATROLLING policemen in San Pedro City in Laguna on early Friday arrested four purported “protection agents” working for Chinese nationals after they were accused of threatening a group of local furniture workers while looking for a target, a report to Police Regional Office 4-A (PRO4A) Director Brigadier General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. said.
The head of the Laguna Police Provincial Office (LPPO), Col. Randy Glenn G. Silvio, said the suspects yielded a belt bag containing a caliber .45 semi-automatic pistol recovered inside the suspects’ van.
“We’re checking claims by the suspects that they were providing security to Chinese nationals working in Biñan City,” said Silvio in the aftermath of a crackdown ordered by Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. against unauthorized protective agents (bodyguards) serving POGO (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) operators or foreign employees in the country.
The official said that before the arrest of the four, two members of the San Pedro City Municipal Police Station Mobile Patrol Division, Senior Master Sergeant Dante Narte and Patrolman Alexis Fortunado, were patrolling along Almaciga Street in Barangay Pacita 1 when they chanced upon the suspects and a group of men having a heated argument.
Silvio said that one of the men later approached the two policemen and complained the suspects were forcing them to open their furniture shop as they were looking for one of their part-time workers.
While talking with the complainants, the two officers spotted one of the suspects throwing his belt bag inside their van, prompting them to investigate. The bag was found to be containing the firearm.
The official said that the two officers placed the four suspects under arrest after seeing the pistol.
During questioning, one suspect presented a “License to Own and Possess Firearm”, a firearm license, and a “Permit-to-Carry-Firearm-Outside-of-Residence”, which all were subjected to validation by the Laguna PPO with the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office and Regional Civil Security Unit.
Silvio said that the suspects would be facing charges for grave coercion and violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013.
