MikeLigalig.com

by PNA

"Think outside the box".

This was the advice of Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, a retired police general, to policemen in their campaign against loose firearms, organized crime groups and guns for hire among other criminal elements.

Bataoil, now seeking a second term of office, said policemen should not just rely on checkpoint operations and should take other proactive measures.

“They (PNP) should conduct raids and searches on suspected hideouts and armories and safe houses of the suspects...it is proactive.” he said in a talk to newsmen Friday.

The retired police general said that police checkpoints must be coupled with raids in houses and hideouts of suspected criminals..

At the same time, Bataois personally expressed discontent over the plain view doctrine being applied in checkpoint’s.

“I strongly believe that plain view doctrine, while it’s the legal procedure…will not make much difference in the campaign against loose firearms and illegal activities,” he added.

The congressman said that the commander in charge of the checkpoint can make a judgment call despite the Commission on Elections (ComElec) and Supreme Court rulings as well as their own operational procedures to reinforce the drive against lawbreakers.

He stressed: “There is such thing as a judgment call of the commander on the ground…if there is a reasonable ground to believe that a group of individuals have something to do with a certain crime committed or a crime that’s about to happen, as a law enforcer, they should take it upon themselves to enforce the law without fear or favor and if their actions will be questioned later in the proper forum, they must be ready…so their actions may be justified.”

He urged policemen to prepare legal documents such as intelligence information that will defend their actions.

Bataoil also called on to everyone to either surrender their firearms or renew their licenses as anyone of us can be target of search and seizure operations citing what happened to Agno Mayor and two other residents of that town recently.

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