Metro's SWAT units get new weapons, gear

Metro police chief Director Nicanor Bartolome puts a flak vest on a female SWAT officer during the distribution of equipment to police units at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig yesterday. JONJON VICENCIO

By Mike Frialde, Non Alquitran (The Philippine Star) Updated January 13, 2011 12:00 AM


MANILA, Philippines - The Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) units of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) were given new firearms and gear yesterday.

NCRPO chief Director Nicanor Bartolome said the new equipment and weapons include 440 Glock 9mm pistols, 379 armored ballistics vests, and 337 Kevlar helmets.

Bartolome said the new gear have been turned over to the directors of the Eastern, Northern, Southern, Manila and Quezon City Police Districts and the battalion commander of the NCRPO-Regional Public Safety Battalion.

Bartolome said the equipment, which came from the headquarters of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame, will be a big boost to current capabilities of SWAT units in Metro Manila.

“It is important that our SWAT units get the proper equipment, but it is more important that the members have the proper skills, attitude and disposition,” he said.

Bartolome also stressed that the new equipment and gear were issued to the units and not to individual SWAT members.

“The equipment must remain with the unit. People will come and go, but the equipment will remain with the unit,” he said.

NCRPO foils bank robbery in Manila; 3 suspects nabbed

By U.S. News Agency / Asian

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Nicanor Bartolome announced on Thursday the arrest of three suspected robbers who were plotting to rob a bank in Manila.

Bartolome identified the suspects as Rolando Noriega, 36, single and a native of Tangub City, Misamis Occidental; Ramie Soler, 36, a native of Oroquieta City, also in Misamis Occidental; and Edzel Pamat, 30, single, a native of Zamboanga del Sur.

The NCRPO chief tagged the three as members of the notorious Alferez Faction of the Ozamis robbery-holdup gang.

Bartolome said the trio was arrested when joint operatives from the Regional Police Intelligence Operating Unit (RPIOU), Light Reaction Unit of Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB), District Intelligence Division and Police Station 2 of Manila Police District (MPD) conducted joint operations in Manila.

Initially, police operatives gathered information that the group was planning to rob the Metrobank branch in Adriatico St. in Malate.

Police authorities immediately coordinated with the bank security and deployed operatives within the vicinity. They confirmed the planned heist after spotting one of the suspects casing the vicinity.

Bartolome said NCRPO operatives tailed the suspect who led the police to his cohorts waiting at the vicinities of Star City at the CCP Complex where they were subsequently arrested.

Recovered from the suspects were two hand grenades, a caliber .38 revolver, a caliber .357 Magnum, 12 pieces of live ammunition for caliber .38 and .357 Magnum, empty shells, and a Mitsubishi Adventure with license plate WSS-834.