CLARK FREEPORT – The Provincial Government led by Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda, Philippine National Police (PNP) headed by Chief General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan assured the safety and security of the thousands of Korean nationals in the province and in Angeles City.
This was announced by the governor and the Chief PNP in front of Korean Ambassador Kim Jae-Shin and hundreds of Koreans who attended the Consultative Meeting Among LGUs, PNP and Korean Leaders: Ensuring Safety of Communities on Wednesday, here.
In her speech, the governor said she signed an Executive Order 02-2017 which creates Korean Assistance Office of Pampanga (KAOP) to be chaired by Vice-Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda.
The governor said KAOP was established to address the concerns and needs of the Korean community based in the province with all of the efforts the provincial government can offer.
The Executive Order read by Board Member Rosve Henson and concurrent chair of the Committee on Public Order and Security stipulates that it is also aimed to further intensify the security and safety of the Korean nationals here in the province.
Henson also said that the said foreigners are more vulnerable to threats of safety and that the service of the government must be readily available to address the said concern, thus the creation of the said office.
The Office of the Provincial Administrator will serve as the Secretariat of KAOP to address all the concern of Koreans and to give responses as approved by KAOP.
Vice-Governor Pineda also suggested the addition of Korean language translator to further address the Korean nationals and their concerns.
The KAOP will be chaired by Vice-Governor Delta and vice-chaired by Provincial Administrator Attorney Andres S. Pangilinan, Jr. Other members of the office will be Atty. Cecil Andin, provincial legal officer; Angelica Blanco, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer; Arwin Paul Lingat, Arts, Culture, and Tourism Officer; Engineer Olimpio Pangan, General Services Officer; and Engr. Romeo Dizon, Provincial Assessor.
This came after the abduction and killing of Jee Ick-Joo last year involving some members of the police force.
Pineda also said she condemned in the strongest possible term the crime done to Mr. Jee albeit his efforts in job creation for the Filipinos here in the country with his businesses.
“I hope the tragic incident will not tarnish the friendly and good relationship between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea,” she said.
Governor Pineda said that the Republic of Korea caters about 30,000 Kapampangans and have given them jobs that is why she believed she has to repay them through providing their security and safety during their stay in the province.
She also added that the Philippines and South Korea have been long time partners trained by bilateral relationships in the areas of humanitarian responses during disasters, education, trade, and in many aspects.
“We are reaffirming the strong relationship and partnership of the Kapampangans and Koreans living in the province and assuring their safety like what they are doing to more than 12,000 Kapampangans who are now working in South Korea,” the governor added.
Ambassador Kim expressed his concern with the crime situation in the country. He said that the 20,000 Koreans living in the province are worrying about their safety that is why they initiated the meeting in coordination with the provincial government and the police. He added that even the Koreans in their home country are worried about the safety of their relatives here. He also added that worldwide, around 20 Koreans are killed annually, and that 40 to 50 percent of them occur here in the Philippines.
“But even more unfortunately, around half of the killings in the Philippines occurred in Pampanga, and as you [officials] expressed, we will strive hard to minimize the occurrence again,” Kim said.
He also suggested that the government must develop better system to ensure the safety of his compatriots based in the country, especially in the province.
PNP top cop vows more security
PNP Chief Dela Rosa meanwhile apologized once again for the ill incident of Jee Ick-Joo and vowed that the said crime will be the last to ever happen.
“I have nothing else to say except this: from now on, I would like to assure everyone that the Philippine National Police with the support of the local and provincial government of Pampanga will do its best to secure each and every one of you,” Dela Rosa added.
He also asked the Korean nationals who attended the meeting to cooperate with the PNP and the provincial government to fight the abuses committed by the police.
The police chief also announced the hotlines of the Counter Intelligence Task Force to be available soon in catering Filipino and Korean nationals’ concerns against criminality and abuses especially by “scalawags.”
The hotline numbers are 0998-970-2286 for Smart and 0995-795-2569 for Globe.
“Please do not hesitate to call these numbers if you are being victimized by police abuses,” he added.
He also said that the said hotlines can be used to report other criminals. He also said that they will also hire Korean Language translators to ease the burden brought by language barrier.
Angeles Mayor to install additional CCTVs
Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said the city government invested P50 million for the installation of 63 analytic CCTV (closed-circuit television cameras) to monitor the whole city.
Pamintuan said there will also be a command center for the CCTV to monitor all the streets of the city which will be launched by March this year.
The mayor announced this after he presented to the Korean nationals the newly-installed Angeles City Police chief Senior Superintendent Patrick Villacorte who replaced S/Supt. Sydney Villaflor after the mishap of Mr. Jee.
He also promised thorough internal cleansing of the police officers in his city and incarceration of the “scalawags”.
In addition to the planned intensified security operations in Angeles City, he called for close coordination of the regional, local and civil police force to prevent any more disaster caused by crimes.
He also said that actions, not promises, must be made for the Koreans who chose to stay in his beloved city.
PHILIP OCAMPO
