THE untimely death of a member of the Quezon City Police District SWAT team at the hands of an armed troublemaker in Caloocan City on Sunday should serve as another wake-up call for all, not only the Philippine National Police.

1st, it should prod all Filipinos to be wary of the presence of their neighbors who have the habit of firing their guns indiscriminately once drunk or even when unprovoked. These persons should be quickly reported to the police and arrested and jailed, stripped of their licensed firearms.

2nd, it should prompt actions from responsible gunowners to actively help the police force in going after trigger-happy Filipinos in the country by asking the help of their family, relatives and friends in reporting such matter to the PNP. There is really no place in this country for people who are ‘tolerating’ their relatives, friends and neighbors who have the bad habit of firing their guns in the air.

3rd, it should prompt early PNP actions against illegal firing of guns during the coming yuletide season particularly when Filipinos welcome the New Year. Launching a massive public awareness drive regarding the yearly directive this early would be beneficial to all and sundry.

4th, it should prompt the police force to rethink, reevaluate, restudy their plans of actions when it comes to responding to cases of indiscriminate firing and conducting hot pursuit operations against fleeing suspects. It’s also high time to equip our SWAT troopers with more training, weapons and protective equipment specifically bullet-proof vests. Come to think of it, robots are already being used by modern police forces to locate armed suspects who have barricaded themselves inside residential houses or buildings. In case an assault is ordered, foreign SWAT operatives are armed with bullet-proof shields that can easily deflect bullets from pistols and rifles.

In the case of the stupid Martin Luther Nuñez, many friends told me they saw the video of the police operation in Caloocan City and wonder what happened to the SWAT practice and simulation exercises when it comes to dealing with an armed suspect. I told them last Sunday’s incident however cannot be compared to an ‘Ang Probinsiyano’ episode where the hero dodges bullets left and right and comes up alive after shooting the villains even while already falling or jumping in the air. This is real life where real bullets are being fired, I explained to them.

The action started when QCPD operatives under Brigadier Gen. Nic Torre pursued Nuñez after he got involved in a case of indiscriminate firing outside a house in Barangay Pasong Putik where a wake for a deceased neighbor was being held. Reports said that the man got mad after he discovered that the window of one of their vehicles had been smashed.

To frighten his targets, the suspect who was said to be drunk fired his gun in the air repeatedly. Alarmed, his neighbors called the QCPD which immediately sent men to accost he suspect. However, the man fled to Caloocan City where he holed up inside their house in Palmera Homes.

During several hours of negotiations, QCPD and Northern Police District officers tried to persuade the suspect to peacefully yield. The man’s mother also reportedly did not want her son to surrender since it was a Sunday and knows he could not immediately post bail.

Officers were later fired upon by the accused, one of the bullets fatally striking a brave Ifugao cop named Corporal Noel Ogano of the QCPD SWAT. The deputy chief of the QCPD District Mobile Force Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Castillo was also wounded in the gun attack but has been listed out of danger already.

On Monday, the PNP headed by General Jun Azurin mourned the death of Corporal Ogano. “May I request everyone to please pause for a moment of silence to offer a prayer for the repose of the soul of Police Corporal Noel Ogano who died in line of duty yesterday when they responded to a call of indiscriminate firing in Caloocan City,” said the top cop.

He also asked for prayers for the immediate recovery of Lt. Col. Castillo. “This is very unfortunate. We have another cop who have died in the line of duty and we are offering our deepest sympathies to his family,” Gen. Azurin said as he ordered the fast-tracking of all benefits due to the fallen hero who also received a posthumous PNP Medalya ng Kadakilaan from Gen. Azurin for his feat.

National Capital Region Police Office director, Brigadier Gen. Jonnel Estomo also expressed the sentiment of the Metro Manila police force over the demise of Cpl. Ogano whom he said ‘sacrificed himself to protect the people and promote peace.”

The NCRPO chief lauded members of the QCPD SWAT and District Mobile Force Battalion as well as its Stations 16, 8 and 10 for their immediate response to the indiscriminate firing incident around 11:30 a.m. last Sunday.

Brig. Gen. Estomo said that upon learning of the incident, the QCPD men conducted a follow-up operation against the 42-year old Nuñez who fled on board a white Toyota Grandia. He said that during the course of negotiation at the residence of the suspect at Block 11, Lot 4, Palmera Homes in Nova East, Maligaya Parkland in Bgy. 177, Caloocan City, the suspect opened fire hitting Ogano and Lt. Col. Castillo.

SWAT operatives later gunned down the suspect after lobbing tear gas in his position. Recovered from the suspect’s possession were one Glock caliber 40 semi-automatic pistol and a cal. .22 revolver and several live ammunition.

ACG TRACKS DOWN GRADE SCHOOLERS BEHIND TAGUIG BOMB THREAT

ANOTHER matter which should really be addressed by parents and authorities is the presence of young schoolchildren who have become addicted to social media and have been turning into ‘copycats’ of minors involved in cybercrimes abroad.

As of Tuesday, I was told that police are looking into the possibility that several persons including students are behind the alarming bomb threat on the Taguig Signal Village National High School last week.

One of the suspects who was identified as a Grade 9 student has been taken into custody by the local Social Welfare and Development Office after being identified as the source of the bomb threat which forced the suspension of classes at the Taguig school.

The vicious threat triggered an alarm in the city as parents rushed to the school to pick their children and SWAT and EOD/K-9 teams were dispatched to look for the bomb. Just imagine the damage done by the said threat to the peace and order situation in Taguig?

Also count the precious government money, manpower and other resources needed by the police to respond to the scene just to look for a bomb which is really not existing. The question is what will happen to that student?

According to PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group director, Brig. Gen. Joel Doria, their Cyber Patrolling and Intelligence Unit conducted an in-depth investigation of the incident and discovered that the viral threat was sent by one Facebook user named ‘Sofia Smith.’

He said that obtaining vital information, the Southern District Anti-Cybercrime Team (SDACT) applied for a Warrant to Search, Seize and Examine Computer Data which was granted by a Taguig City court last Friday.

On Saturday, joint elements of the SDACT and the Taguig City Police Station implemented the WSSECD for violation of Section 5 of Republic Act No.11479 or the Anti- Terrorism Act of 2020 in relation to Section 6 of RA 10175 otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Recovered during the search were six mobile cellphones which is now under the custody of PNP ACG for the conduct of a Digital Forensic Examination. The 16-year old student has been turned over to the Taguig City Social Welfare and Development Office.

An investigation showed that at around 8:05 a.m. last November 7, a netizen posted several comments threatening to kill students in Signal Village with a bomb while the school’s flag-raising ceremony is ongoing.

The comments were broadcast ‘live’ via Facebook of the I Love Taguig Page. In her comment, ‘Sofia Smith’ said “Humanda kayo mamaya sa pagpasok ng mga panghapon. Papatayin ko lahat ng mga estudyante sa Taguig Signal Village Taguig City.”

The same Facebook user also made successive threats. “Kagaya ng nangyare sa Thailand humanda kayo magpapasabog ako dyan sa Signal papatayin ko kayong lahat” and “Papatayin ko lahat ng estudyante sa Signal humanda kayong lahat hahahaha papatayin ko lahat lahat.”

The bomb threat triggered a panic in the community as classes were suspended and parents rushed to the school to pick up their children. Members of the Taguig PNP’s EOD and K9 unit did not find any bomb in the school during a massive search however.

At about 11:05 AM of the same date, ‘Sofia ‘posted another comment saying: “Nag cancel pa kayo ng klase sa tingin nyo mababago isip naming sa pagpapasabog ng school. Tandaan niyo madami pang araw malay niyo bukas o sa biyernes! Pwede ko naman iatras sa isang kondisyon kausapin moa ko mayor lani may gusto akong ipagawa sainyo kundi itutuloy ko ang pag sabog sa mga school sa Taguig.”

PNP-ACG spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Jay Guillermo said that the mobile phones of the family members of the teenager have been confiscated and being subjected to forensic examination.

The girl was identified as the PNP-ACG was able to lock in the IP address and coordinates used by the accused. Another good job from our Cybercops.