Court sheriff slain in Olongapo City, another wounded

A Pasay City court sheriff was shot dead while his aide was listed in critical condition at a hospital after they were shot point blank along corner Anonas and 20th Streets in Barangay West Bajac-bajac in Olongapo City Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, Olongapo City police chief, said the incident occurred past 1 p.m. He identified the fatality as Ariel Centeno Valero, 45, a resident of Bacoor,Cavite.

Seriously injured was Rey Max Umandam, credit investigator of Argus Credit Corporation and a resident of Bicutan, Metro Manila. He is presently under observation at the intensive care unit of James l Gordon Memorial Hospital in Olongapo City. An earlier report said Umandam was also killed.

Villacorta identified the suspect as Rosauro Aransanzo, proprietor of Car-Sor-Rent-a-Car located along Fendler Street. He said the suspect attempted to flee but was intercepted by policemen manning a checkpoint. The suspect was in police custody while undergoing investigation.

Police said the suspect got the ire of the victim after an alleged foreclosure of one of the units of Aransanzo.

Police said the victims had just left the place of Aransanzo after they serve a forfeiture notice.

The suspect, police said, tailed the victims and shot them several times in different parts of their body. Valero died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds.

A caliber .45 pistol believed used by the suspect in killing Valero was confiscated by the police. - Jess Malabanan ABS CBN NEWS

Olongapo PNP tap barangays as force multipliers

OLONGAPO City: Close to 700 officials of barangays, civic and nongovernment organizations completed a peacekeeping operation training conducted by the local Olongapo police.

The Olongapo City Police Director, Senior Supt. Avelardo Villacorta, said that the training is part of their program dubbed as Project Kabisig which aims to make barangay officials and other organizations as force multipliers.

We need them as force multipliers because we have limited police personnel to secure the whole city of Olongapo which is a beckon of progress in Zambales because of Subic Bay Freeport, he said.

Carlito Baloy, President of the Association of Barangay Chairmen said that the training was a first and truly a big help for their respective barangays.

The three-day training help us in our daily jobs and peacekeepers of our community, we are at the forefront of peacekeeping and we are always the first responders in any given situations, knowledge is power and this was a great gift that our local police gave us, Baloy added.

Vilacorta explained that besides sharing what they know, they were also able to establish a strong partnership with the barangays in crime fighting. -- Anthony Bayarong - Manila Times

Bomb scare hits Olongapo City hall

OLONGAPO CITY - Authorities evacuated employees and visitors at the Olongapo City hall on Wednesday after the police's Tactical Operations Center received a text message saying there was a bomb inside the building.

The police declared the building safe after an hour and allowed employees and visitors back.

"Wala," said Senior Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, Olongapo City police chief.

He said at about 11:30 a.m., police received a message saying their was a bomb inside the city hall.

"The texter did not say where the bomb was," Villacorta said.

City Councilor Gina Perez, who was inside the building, said it took "only a few minutes and the (police) deployed K-9 units and members of the Explosive Ordnance Division conducted a search." - John Bayarong, GMANews.TV

Villacorta Reports

Olongapo City Police Office (OCPO) Chief PSSupt. Abelardo Villacorta expressed gratitude to Mayor Bong Gordon’s continuing support to the police force.

In his Director’s Report last January 14 at the Rizal Triangle Multi-Purpose Center, City Director Villacorta stressed the huge contribution of Mayor Gordon for the realization of their projects. A few of OCPO’s accomplishments were the repair of their camp facilities, acquisition of additional communication units and enhancement trainings and seminars for their personnel such as personal development, firearms handling and spiritual upliftment.

“Thanks to Mayor Gordon for giving the fund that led to the success of our activities”, Villacorta said.

Villacorta also assured that the police force is incessantly providing Olongapeños with quality service. “We are ready to give you the best police service. A lot has been done and we are continuously moving forward to achieve our goals. Rest assured that we will be your police, your partner for peace, progress and prosperity”, Villacorta asserted.

Likewise, the city director recognized the cooperation and participation of the different sectors of the community including the barangay officials. “Dito sa Olongapo mayroon tayong pagtutulungan”, he remarked.

Meanwhile, Mayor Gordon and Villacorta expressed their goal for Olongapo to win first place in the Search for Best in Peace and Order Council. “If we want to have peace and order, we have to fund it. I hope that we get the first place in the National Search for Best Peace and Order Council”, Mayor Gordon said.

Villacorta has started serving as OCPO Director since September last year. In his few months in the city, accomplishments of the police force have reached new heights because of its excellent relationship with the city government.

Olongapo police seize smuggled Porsche

Authorities have seized a smuggled luxury sports car allegedly owned by controversial former election official Virgilio Garcillano in Olongapo City Friday dawn but two more luxury cars had escaped a police checkpoint.

The joint team of Olongapo police and Land Transportation Office confiscated a black Porsche convertible sports car (plate number ZHA-798) worth P5 million.

Senior Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, director of Olongapo City Police Office, said the car was being driven by 19-year old Karlo Geneta, a Quezon City resident, who presented allegedly fake documents to the authorities.

Villacorta said the luxury vehicle was intercepted around 1 a.m. in a checkpoint set up along the national highway in Barangay Old Cabalan. He said the vehicle has been imported early this month from the United States by Global (Subic) International Inc., a registered company inside Subic Bay Freeport Zone and owned by Louie Moloa.

Villacorta said during interrogation the driver admitted that Garcillano allegedly owned the smuggled vehicle.

Authorities also arrested security guard Pablito Merez after he allegedly tried to bribe a police officer worth P80,000 to drop the case against Geneta.

Merez told ABS-CBN News that a certain Bert, an alleged personal driver and bodyguard of Subic Customs collector Marietta Zamoranos, had purportedly asked him to offer the bribe.

Zamoranos is Garcillano’s first cousin, the report said.

Olongapo cops rebuff LTO guard’s bribe try for smuggled car

Olongapo cops rebuff LTO guard’s bribe try for smuggled car

Policemen in Olongapo City rejected Friday the P80,000 bribe offer by a security guard of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in a bid to have a smuggled Porsche Carrera released, an official said.

Senior Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, city police chief, said LTO personnel and policemen intercepted the luxury car at a checkpoint along Barangay (village) Kalapate at past 2 a.m.

Policemen, however, failed to arrest the guard, identified as Pablito Meres and assigned at the LTO inside the nearby Subic Bay Freeport, because he rushed out of the police's Station 4 when authorities refused to take the bribe, Villacorta said in a phone interview.

"Our men resisted bribery and corruption," he said.

A Philippine Daily Inquirer source at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said Meres initially offered P30,000. He increased the amount when the policemen refused to take the money.

Villacorta said investigators have started tracing who sent Meres to bribe the police.

As of posting time, charges for corruption of public officials and conspiracy in smuggling are being readied against Meres, he said.

The SBMA source said the black 1999 model Porsche (license plate number ZHA 798) was one of two Porsches reportedly scheduled to be taken out of the freeport. A Humvee jeep was said to be part of the smuggled items.

The driver of the seized car, Karlo Geneta, 19, was arrested.

Geneta said he picked up the car inside the freeport from a person he did not identify. He also claimed not knowing the real owner of the car.

Villacorta said the car's documents appeared to have been "tampered with."

"No [Bureau of] Customs paper was presented," he said.

Armand Arreza, administrator of the SBMA, ordered an investigation on the source of the cars.

This was the first known incident of car smuggling at the freeport after the government destroyed 18 luxury vehicles in August.

By Tonette Orejas - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk

Gang dealing fake gold bars arrested

OLONGAPO CITY: An estimated P4 million worth of fake gold bars were recovered by joint operatives of the Olongapo City Police Office (OCPO), Olongapo City Mobile Group and the Subic Police Station Saturday in two separate entrapment operation.

Senior Supt. Abelardo Villacorta, Director of the Olongapo City Police Office said the fake gold bars were in the possession of five members of the Amado fake gold bar gang or Budol Budol gang operating in Zambales.

Vilacorta during a press conference with media said the entrapment operation stemmed from information provided by a prospected buyer who was initially concerned for her safety.

OCPO immediately organized a team headed by SPO4 Mar Sapad including that of the Olongapo City Mobile group headed by Police Chief Inspector Arthur Salida.

The team proceeded to a fast food chain in Olongapo City were suspected members of the Amado gang and the buyer were supposed to transact the deal.

Arrested in the entrapment operation was Walther Visda, 24, and Willy Visda, 32 both residents of Iram resettlement Area in Barangay Cabalan, Olongapo City.

Recovered from the two suspects were 2 pieces of fake gold bars weighing around 15 kilos they were selling for P2 million, along with the marked money.

As soon us the police learned from the suspects the whereabouts of other members in Barangay Mangan-vaca in Subic, they immediately checked out the location and arrested 3 other members and recovered one gold bar also weighing around 15 kilos that the suspects were selling for P2 million.

Villacorta and Subic Police Chief Cezar Jacob identified the other gang members as Nathaniel Dagan 34, Clark Miraña, 23 and Anghelo Recopero 22 all residents of Iram resettlement Area in Barangay Cabalan, Olongapo City.
--Anthony Bayarong -- Manila Times

Pagbalasa inaasahan?

By Ric Sapnu - SunStar
Dateline: Olivas

ANG pagbalasa sa mga provincial at city police director sa pitong lalawigan ng Gitnang Luzon ay inaasahan sa pag-upo ng bagong police director ng Police Regional Office (PRO) 3.

Ito ang nakalap na information ng Intelligence Officer (IO) ng Dateline, sa mga nakausap nitong mga police officer kung saan inaasahan na umano ang pagbalasa.

Matandaan noong Miyerkules, isang turnover of command ang ginanap sa Multi-Purpose Hall sa loob ng Camp Olivas at si dating chief ng Traffic Management Group (TMG) na si Chief Superintendent Errol T. Pan ang masuwerteng nakakuha sa puwestong iniwanan ni Chief Superintendent Ismael R. Rafanan.

At dahil bago ang PRO3 director, ayon sa IO, may malaking posibilidad na magkaroon ng pagbalasa sa hanay ng mga provincial at city police director.

Natural lamang siyempre, ayon sa IO, na iyong mga bata ni Pan ang ipapasok niya o iuupo sa kanyang area of jurisdiction. Sabi pa nga ng mga police officer, kapag bago ang PRO3 director, SOP o standard operational procedure ang ganitong sistema.

May dalang mga bata siyempre ang bagong RD na puwede nitong pagkakatiwalaan at subok na sa kanilang trabaho na maari nitong ipalit sa mga tatamaan sa pagbalasa, ayon pa sa mga police officer.

Sana naman, ayon sa mga police officer, bigyan muna ng bagong RD ang mga nakaupong mga police director ng pagkakataon at pagbasihan ang kanilang mga "accomplishment" bago sila i-relieve.

Hindi pa umuupo si Pan, naging matunog na ang balasahan sa hanay ng mga senior police staff officer sa RPO3.

Ayon sa IO, posibleng sa susunod na linggo na ang malawakang balasahan sa mga staff police officer sa PRO3 headquarters.

Ang mga papalitan at malilipat sa ibang department ay kinabibilangan nina Senior Superintendent Alfredo Caballes, dating deputy regional director for operation, na nalipat bilang deputy regional director for administration.

Si dating Chief Directorial Staff, Senior Superintendent Gil Meneses, ay malilipat bilang deputy regional director for operation. Ang inaasahan na papalit sa puwesto ni Meneses ay si Olongapo City police director, Senior Superintendent Gil Pacia. Mahigit din sa isang taon ang naging "tour of duty" ni Pacia sa Olongapo City.

Si Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, chief ng Regional Intelligence Division (RID) ay matunog na malilipat sa tanggapan ng Regional Police Community Relations Office (RPCRO), samantalang ang RPCRO na si Senior Superintendent Danilo Bautista ay matatalaga umano sa Regional Operations Plans Division (ROPD).

Si Senior Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta, chief ng ROPD, ay masuwerteng matatalang bilang bagong City Police Director ng Olongapo City at siya ang papalit sa puwesto ni Pacia. Sa wakas sir, sa tagal ng panahon mabibigyan din kayo ng "break." Congratulations sir Villacorta.

Si Senior Superintendent Gordon Dezcanso, chief ng Headquarters Supports Group (HSG), ay sasama umano kay Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, bagong TMG director na nakabase sa Camp Crame.

Ang papalit kay Dezcanso ay si Senior Superintendent Antonio dela Cruz. Si dela Cruz ay natalaga na rin dito sa Logistics Division.

Inaasahan pa rin ang pagbalasa sa mga sususnod na araw o buwan depende sa bagong upong PRO3 director, Chief Superintendent Pan.