This complaint was aired by Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho L. Petilla, chairman of the Leyte Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) during a recent meeting held at the Provincial Capitol in this city.

Petilla said it is the duty of the government and people to unite in eradicating criminality and resolving the issues raised by insurgents, who have taken root in many areas of the Visayas, Luzon and Mindanao.

He urged all sectors to help implement the rule of law in the province and give justice to every man as part of the campaign to show to the entire country and the world that Leyte is committed to keeping its house in order and nurturing a culture of economic growth.

Petilla said that he is dead serious in implementing the full strength of the law to neutralize drug rings, eradicate organized crime and prosecute illegal loggers.

In the task of keeping the peace and maintaining order in Leyte, Petilla said he will have to secure the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He recommended to the PPOC the recruitment or deployment of professional and well-trained law enforcers who would go all-out in capturing the ringleaders of organized crime gangs and helping prosecute them.

Petilla has served notice that there would be no let-up in his campaign against crime gangs that have acted as a hindrance to the steady flow of capital to this province.

Supt. William E. Valencia, officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Leyte Provincial Police Office (LPPO) and Col. Nestor Sadiarin of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, expressed their support for the fight against crime syndicates that threaten the peace and order of the province and the entire Eastern Visayas region.

Judge Salvador Y. Apurillo, who was present, commented that the common problem during prosecution of the case is that the law enforcers are not well trained in handling cases like illegal drugs.

Apurillo informed the PPOC that the pieces of evidence obtained through illegal means do not have any weight in court and proferring them during the prosecution would lead to the outright dismissal of drug cases.

The judge even volunteered to train PNP operatives on the proper conduct and right procedures in law enforcement and the collection of evidence for criminal prosecution.

Apurillo said that it is only when law enforcers know how to apply proper procedures that the indictment and conviction of the accused could be assured.

It was agreed by the PPOC that the Integrated Area/Community Public Safety Plan (IA/CPSP) be formulated by council members to craft a concerted effort in assuring that peace and order reigns in their areas.