Peña: Why doesn’t Bulalacao go after the NPA?

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña yesterday said recent killings and atrocities conducted by the New People’s Army (NPA) in his town are being done specifically as the Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) is conducting a raid on his home as a result of allegations claiming the mayor was maintaining a private army.

He said both provincial and regional police have refused to augment local law enforcement despite their being lack of police officers.

The mayor said their actions were a result of him scoring the two offices for relieving, who he called, the best police chiefs assigned in the municipality.

“This is the result of the order [by] PRO-6 director, Police Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, to conduct a raid against me because he said I maintained a private army,” Peña stated. “The group he is referring to is not a private army but our force multipliers in the town; they are helping us maintain peace and order and guard us against the NPA because we only have very few policemen here.”

The matter comes shortly after the NPA claimed responsibility for a member of Peña’s civil security team, Michol June Ruales, who was gunned down by riding-in-tandem suspects earlier this week.

According to Philippine National Police records, the death was the 20th recorded in the town since 2010, which was blamed on a lack of police officers.

“Instead of threatening and going after the force multipliers, who had been helping much in making the town safe and secure, why can’t Bulalacao go after the NPA rebels? The mayor asked. “Go after the rebels and the people involved in illegal drugs and not after those who secure the people of Moises Padilla.”/DGB, WDJ