CLARK FREEPORT ZONE — Newly-designated Clark Development Corp. (CDC) President-CEO Arthur Tugade has ordered the creation of a special administrative committee (SAC) headed by Asst. Vice President Bernardo Angeles Jr. to look into the reported hold-up of a Chinese national last Dec. 20 at the corner of M.A. Roxas Avenue and C.M. Recto Street here.
The victim was identified as Zhung Zhi Quiang, a casino financier who had just withdrawn P4 million from a branch of the Banco De Oro at SM City Clark when the car he was riding was flagged down by the suspects, one of whom was allegedly a traffic enforcer here identified as Allan Mamawan.
The suspects allegedly pointed a bladed weapon to the victim before grabbing the bag containing the money.
To guarantee an impartial investigation, Tugade also ordered the temporary relief of Nicanor Targa, acting chief of the CDC Public Safety and Security Department, who is now on preventive suspension.
Outstanding record
Targa, a bemedalled poice officer before he retired in March 2010, started his career in government service as a Civil Engineering Aide I at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office III on Nov. 21, 1977. Soon after, he was promoted as a Senior Civil Engineer.
Targa left the DPWH in 1984 when he was called to active duty by the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP). He was one of 20 candidates who made it to the draft out of 400 applicants. The ISAFP was then headed by Gen. Jesus Singson under the Marcos administration.
In 1987, he rejoined the Philippine Constabulary (PC) to perform his function as constabulary officer after Marcos was ousted. Fresh from a People Power victory, then President Cory Aquino was besieged by several coups ‘d etat. Targa was with then Regional Director Gen. Jesus Nazareno who reinforced Camp Aguinaldo which was then under sieged by rebel military officers. As a result of his part in the defense of the AFP Headquarters and the Cory Aquino government, he was one of the recipients of the Bronze Cross Medal.
When the Philippine National Police (PNP) law was enacted in 1991, Targa was assigned as chief of police (COP) of the San Simon police station during the stint of then mayor Manuel S. Bondoc to resolve the worsening peace and order problem in the area.
Two years later, he was assigned as COP of Macabebe where he peacefully resolved the political tension which almost erupted in a firefight between the followers of Mayor Leonardo “Bobong” Flores and mayoralty candidate Pete Yabut.
Targa was also assigned as COP of Masantol where he organized the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) as an auxiliary unit to instill a lasting peace in the coastal barangays.
In 1997, Targa was assigned as COP of the Mabalacat Police Station where he was responsible for an aggressive anti-illegal drugs campaign resulting in the “downgrade” of notorious barangays heavily influenced by illegal drugs by the Anti-Illegal Drugs Office. While COP of Mabalacat, Targa was also able to resolve peacefully a hostage situation in Barangay San Francisco which lasted 24 hours.
Targa had his shortest stint as COP in Apalit lasting only a little over a year. He later enrolled at the Philippine Public Safety College where he took up an Officer Senior Executive Course for his advancement.
Right after his schooling, Targa was assigned as COP of the City of San Fernando where he served under first city mayor Rey B. Aquino and later under Mayor Oscar S. Rodriguez. As COP of the capital city, Targa was able to neutralize several criminal groups who gained notoriety for their brutality and daring operations.
Among these were the Ampang-Colangco hold-up group whose members were apprehended at the SM City Pampanga parking lot without firing a single shot.
The criminal group were about to rob the Banco De Oro branch in the mall at the time of their arrests.
Targa was also responsible in the neutralization of the notorious kidnap-for-ransom Partido Group.
The husband and wife leaders of the group were killed after a grenade they were intending to throw to the raiding team led by Targa exploded in their room at the Miyabe Court.
The Adreco group, a notorious hold-up group operating in Bataan and Olongapo areas targeting gasoline stations and houses of wealthy residents, were arrested in Barangay Telabastagan still wearing police uniforms which they used in their heists.
For his feat as COP of the capital city, Targa was named Most Outstanding Kapampangan in the Field of Law Enforcement in 2004.
In 2006, Targa was detailed as concurrent chief of the CDC-PSD. Shortly after, Targa was requested by then Pampanga Police chief Director Leonardo Espina, now assigned as NCRPO chief, to handle a hostage situation at the Western Union branch in Dau, Mabalacat. Targa was able to convince the four fully armed suspects to surrender peacefully and unconditionally. The hostages were unharmed.
According to records, Targa was never involved in any complaint with the Office of the Ombudsman and the Commission on Human Rights in all his almost 33 years in government service.
