17,000 most-wanted neutralized–PNP

NEARLY 17,000 most-wanted criminals, among them Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, had either been killed or arrested in various police operations during the first five months of the year, according to the Philippine National Police.

In a statement yesterday, PNP officer in charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina said that a total of 4,473 unregistered firearms were seized by police during the same period.

“The PNP sustained its… anticriminality operations to keep the communities safer by deploying more uniformed personnel to carry out focused police operations,” Espina said.

Citing the PNP’s reinvigorated anticrime program dubbed “Oplan Lambat-Sibat,” Espina said the police improved its foot patrol operations “with the primary goal of reducing crime and improving public safety.”

From January to May, the PNP said a to- tal of 16,917 wanted persons were arrested and 115 others turned themselves in to the police.

66 on US list killed

Espina said 66 notorious criminals were killed in PNP operations, including bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” who was on the most wanted list of the United States for his links to al-Qaida and the regional terror group, Jemaah Islamiyah.

But bin Hir’s death came at a steep price as 44 members of the elite police Special Action Force were killed during the Jan. 25 operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Espina said 3,193 loose firearms were seized for violation of Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms Law, and 1,280 others were either confiscated or surrendered in other police operations.

He said the police arrested 3,286 individuals for having unlicensed guns and filed 2,230 criminal cases.