PNP News Releases 2005

PNP HOSTS 1ST ASEAN POLICE SHOOTFEST 

Police shooting teams from eight countries in Southeast Asia will compete in the 1st ASEANAPOL Shootfest at the Armscor Ranges in Marikina City . The two-day competition formally starts today with PNP Chief, Director General Hermogenes E Ebdane Jr., and Marikina City Mayor Marides Fernando as guests in the opening ceremony.

A total of 42 shooters representing the police agencies of eight member countries of the ASEAN Association of Chiefs of Police (ASEANAPOL) will vie for individual and team competition titles. This first ever shooting competition among ASEANAPOL-member national police agencies was an item in the Joint Communique signed by delegates during the 23rd ASEANAPOL Conference hosted by the PNP in Manila in September 2003.

“The PNP is proud to host the 1st ASEANAPOL Shootfest with our foreign counterparts from national police agencies in the ASEAN region. This is our way of fostering camaraderie, fellowship and cooperation with our ASEAN neighbors in addressing our common concerns of transnational crime and terrorism,” according to PNP Spokesman, Chief Superintendent Joel R Goltiao.

Ebdane, an avid sports shooter himself, is skipper of the PNP team. is team mates are SSupt Benjamin Belarmino, SSupt Antonio Baraquiel, Chief Inspector Alex Sintin, and SPO1 Anthony Sy. Foreign teams competing in the tournament are the Royal Thai Police, Indonesian National Police, Lao People's Democratic Republic General Department of Police, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Police.

For its part, the local government of Marikina City thru its Tourism Office, is extending its warm hospitality to the participants in the competition. A tour of the City is lined-up as an added activity in the tournament.