BINUWAG na ang limang Area Police Commands (APCs) ng Philippine National Police at inilipat sa PNP Special Task Force for Disbandment of Private Armed Groups, ayon kay PNP acting chief, Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.

Nabuwag ang mga APCs dahil sa “duplicating functions” sa mga police regional offices, ayon sa opisyal.

“With their deactivation and disbandment, we have created a task force, the STF-DPAGs which will help address the presence of private armed groups, whether active or potential PAGs and go after their loose firearms,” sinabi ni Lt. Gen. Nartatez.

Pinangungunahan ni PNP Deputy Chief for Operations Lt. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo ang STF-DPAGs, ayon sa PNP chief, at pangunahing misyon nito ang paglansag at pag-identify sa mga private armed groups (PAGs).

“There will be sub-task groups under the SFT-DPAGS which will be going all-out after loose firearms that are primarily being used by private armed groups. Actually, the STF-DPAGs will synergize the efforts of the Police Regional Office when it comes to addressing the problem on PAGs,” sabi ni Nartatez.

Terminated na rin ang ranggo ng mga hepe ng APCs na sina Major General Sidney Hernia as Officer-in-Charge ng APC Southern Luzon; Maj. Gen. Romaldo M. Bayting as deputy commander ng APC-Western Mindanao;

Brigadier Gen. Archival Macala as OIC ng APC-Northern Luzon; Brig. Gen. Milo Pagtalunan as acting deputy commander ng APC-Visayas; Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete as as OIC ng APC-Eastern Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano as OIC ng APC-Visayas; at Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo as OIC, Deputy Commander ng APC-Eastern Mindanao.

Bagong hepe ng Special Task Force for Disbandment of the Private Armed Group si Maj. Gen. Bayting ng STF-DPAGs-Western Mindanao; Maj. Gen. Hernia ng STF-DPAGs-Southern Luzon;

Brig. Gen. Macala ng STF-DPAGs-Northern Luzon; Brig. Gen. Pagtalunan ng STF-DPAGs-Visayas; Brig. Gen. Rosete ng STF-DPAGs-Eastern Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Abrahano ng STF-DPAGs-Southern Luzon; at Brig. Gen. Fajardo ng STF-DPAGs-Eastern Mindanao.