“Gaerlan's mettle would be put to the test here in Pampanga. Let's see what will happen in the next few days. If he succeeded in his campaign during his term in Bataan, then there's no reason he will fail here, a place considered as a land of ‘toughies’.”
  
SENIOR Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, newly designated director of the Pampanga Provincial Police Office, has vowed to comb the entire province in search of unlicensed guns.
The objective is to ensure a peaceful and orderly elections on May 10 – Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (HOPE).
Gaerlan would like to inform the public that he is not new in Pampanga. During his stint as Group Director of the Regional Mobile Group 3 stationed at the Regional Police Headquarters in Camp Olivas, he was visible even when conducting checkpoints.
In one instance, deClassified Files saw Gaerlan leading his men during a random check of vehicles along the Gapan-San Fernando-Olongapo Road, now the Jose Abad Santos Avenue. It was his first exposure when he assumed the position of RMG3 director.
Now, Gaerlan is back in Pampanga. He is discouraging politicians from using guns, goons and gold. The Philippine National Police (PNP), perhaps, is now serious in its campaign to ensure HOPE.
Gaerlan's mettle would be put to the test here in Pampanga. Let's see what will happen in the next few days. If he succeeded in his campaign during his term in Bataan, then there's no reason he will fail here, a place considered as a land of "toughies".
Guns, goons and gold are common during the election period. The first G is for the protection against aggressiveness of political rivals; the next G is for ‘dirty’ work, and the last G is self-explanatory. If a certain politician has all of these, then he is a 60-percent sure winner.
Who among the politicians in Pampanga have all three Gs? There are only a few; you can count it in one hand. Let’s start from the East. At least four mayoralty candidates have guns, goons and gold.
In the western section of the province, there also four politicians; there are three in the northern part; and at least three in the southern part of Pampanga.
With Gaerlan's public announcement to scour the entire province of loose guns and loose goons, the May 10 elections in Pampanga would surely be peaceful as compared to the past. deClassified Files only advises the province’s top cop, don’t be too aggressive, sir. Do it smoothly.
Pampanga is the only place in Central Luzon with no history of election-related violence. Gaerlan should perhaps make a research.
Ang mga politiko dito sa Pampanga, maliban sa ilang lugar kagaya ng Arayat at Candaba, ay magkakaibigan. Hindi sila 'yung tipo na magbabarilan. Of course, there are isolated cases just like in any other places in the country.
Gaerlan should focus on Arayat town. The peace and order situation there is quite disturbing because of loose guns that are in the hands of suspicious individuals.
By the way, the candidates for the mayoralty seat in Arayat town are Ramon "Chito" Espino, the incumbent mayor, and Emmanuel "Von" Alejandrino, the former Supremo of the Hukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan (HMB). It's a one-on-one fight.
Alejandrino had set a good example when he surrendered all his high-powered firearms to the authorities, particularly to Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, commander of the 3^rd Regional Public Safety Management Battalion, stationed in Camp Olivas.
The presence of armed groups in Arayat will be Gaerlan's headache, because aside from the HMB, there are four more groups considered as threats during the elections.
These are the Rebolusyunaryong Gerilya ng Arayat, (RGA), New People's Army (NPA), Rebolusyunaryong Hukbong Bayan (RHB), and the Rebolusyunaryong Samahang Anak-Pawis (RSAP). Though members of these underground movements are closely monitored by authorities, it would be much better if Gaerlan and his men would also take actions against them.
Let's just hope that Pampanga would remain a peaceful province come May 10 despite of the presence of guns, goons and gold. Next month would be a critical period, and authorities should closely watch the developments.
Some areas in the province where intense political rivalries have been already been identified, and it would be easy for the local police to validate and evaluate the situation. See to it that guns and goons do not have space… but let the gold pour in.

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Chief Supt. Arturo Cacdac Jr., the new Central Luzon police director, will be seeing action come the May 10 elections especially in the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.
Knowing Cacdac as a man who loves to work under pressure, Central Luzon would surely attain HOPE.

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Send your comments and suggestions to deClassified Files through jessmalabanan@yahoo.com. Extreme violent reactions are also welcome.