Strictly handle acts of resisting law enforcement officers

(Baonghean) - In 2 months (August - September 2014), in Que Phong district, there were 2 cases of assaulting law enforcement officers. It is worth mentioning that before assaulting the law enforcement officers, these subjects violated the law on illegal forest product trading, traffic violations...

Double violation

The latest incident occurred on September 23. According to the investigation officer of Que Phong District Police, that day, a working group of 4 officers and soldiers, including: Lo Van Thanh, Ho Duc Quang, Ho Duc Cuong, Sam Van Loi, was assigned to patrol and ensure traffic safety on National Highway 48 extension, in Muong Hin village, Tien Phong commune. At 11 p.m., the patrol team discovered a subject using a motorbike to participate in traffic but not wearing a helmet. The working group signaled to stop the vehicle, but the subject did not comply and sped away. When stopped by the working group, the subject insulted, cursed and then aggressively attacked soldiers Ho Duc Quang and Lo Van Thanh. At this time, a citizen of Bon village, Tien Phong commune, Mr. Nguyen Nhat Bac, saw the fight and ran over to stop it. Taking advantage of someone trying to intervene, the subject ran into a nearby house (Mr. Luong Van Son's house) and shouted "where is the knife so I can cut it". Not finding a knife, the subject grabbed a stick and turned back to attack the working group. However, immediately after that, Mr. Nguyen Nhat Bac stopped him and took the stick from the subject's hand. The police force then invited witnesses to the district police headquarters to work, and at the same time, arrested the subject. At the Que Phong district police station, the subject who violated traffic laws and assaulted the person on duty said his name was Nguyen Nhat Ha, born in 1982, residing in Thanh Son commune, Anh Son district.

Que Phong district police took statement from suspect Nguyen Nhat Ha.

The second incident involving two illegal forest product traders assaulting a forest ranger of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve occurred on August 4, 2014 in Muong Piet village, Thong Thu border commune. At 7:15 p.m., two subjects, Nguyen Xuan Thuan (born in 1984) and Tran The Anh (born in 1983), both residing in village 3, Tien Phong commune, after drinking alcohol in Kim Son town, went in Thuan's pickup truck to his family's shop in Muong Phu village, Thong Thu commune. When passing Muong Piet village (around 8:30 a.m.), Thuan and Son stopped at Son Danh's shop to buy medicine. When entering the shop, Thuan saw some re wood and asked to buy it. Son agreed to sell, Thuan and Tran The Anh moved the wood to the car. While moving the second piece of wood, Thuan saw the Head of Thong Thu Forest Protection Station (under the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board), Mr. Le Van Thanh, enter. After that, Mr. Thanh asked to stop loading the wood. Mr. Son saw that and said "no more loading", then together with Tran The Anh moved the second log back to its original position. After that, Tran The Anh reacted strongly. Meanwhile, Thuan approached Mr. Thanh and asked: "Let me load some wood to earn some fuel money". Mr. Thanh did not agree, firmly asking Thuan and The Anh to move the car out of the area. When he was refused, Thuan slapped Mr. Thanh in the face. The Anh saw that and also jumped in with Thuan to beat Mr. Thanh. Only when Mr. Thanh fell on the road did they stop...

Need to be punished seriously

Sergeant Ho Duc Quang (the person who signaled Nguyen Nhat Ha to stop his car, then was assaulted and kicked in the chest by him) confirmed that this subject was sober enough to know that the people who stopped his car were Que Phong District Police. However, his attitude was extremely aggressive, even when he was brought to the District Police headquarters, Ha did not stop insulting the people on duty. Sergeant Ho Duc Quang said: "I had to restrain myself from reacting to Nguyen Nhat Ha when he assaulted me. Ha's actions need to be strictly handled according to the law to set an example for others...".

According to the Head of Thong Thu Forest Protection Station, Le Van Thanh, the two subjects who illegally traded in forest products and assaulted him knew him well. Mr. Thanh said: "In early 2014, Thuan used his phone to threaten me when I was dealing with the illegal trading of forest products. On the evening of August 4, when I asked him to stop loading wood and move the vehicle out of the area, Thuan refused, grabbed my collar, pushed me out onto the road, and assaulted me. Currently, my injuries have improved a lot. The physical pain will heal over time, but the mental trauma will last forever. I hope that the authorities will investigate and handle the case strictly according to the law so that we can rest assured in our duty of protecting the forest...

The staff of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve were also very upset about the incident where the Head of Thong Thu Forest Protection Station, Le Van Thanh, was assaulted by an illegal forest product trader. According to the staff here, protecting the forest is an extremely difficult task. If not handled seriously, such incidents will continue to occur in the future. Therefore, in Report No. 18/BC-BQL-KL dated August 6 on the beating and assault of forest rangers on duty, the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board recommended: "The above incident has negatively impacted the forest rangers and specialized forest protection forces of the Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board and caused negative public opinion. Therefore, the unit reports and requests all levels to support and take strict measures to handle the above-mentioned acts of the subjects in accordance with the law to deter and educate subjects with the intention of destroying forests in the area, at the same time, reassure the minds of the unit's cadres, civil servants and public employees to work with peace of mind".

According to Lieutenant Colonel Le Duc Thuan - Captain of the Criminal Police Department of Que Phong District, after issuing an emergency arrest warrant for Nguyen Nhat Ha, the Investigation Police Agency of Que Phong District Police decided to initiate a case of resisting a person on official duty; prosecute the defendant Nguyen Nhat Ha for the crime of resisting a person on official duty. Similarly, the Que Phong District Police decided to initiate a case of assaulting an officer of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve; prosecute the two suspects Nguyen Xuan Thuan and Tran The Anh. The relevant files of both cases have been transferred to the District People's Procuracy...

Acts of resisting law enforcement officers directly infringe upon the normal and proper operations of State agencies and organizations, reducing the effectiveness of their management. In the above cases, the subjects who assaulted law enforcement officers had previously committed violations of the law. Having committed violations, they continued to commit more serious violations, so these subjects need to be dealt with to ensure the strictness of the law.

Ha Giang