DUMAGUETE CITY -- The provincial police director here said the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at the regional level are coming up with a joint security plan to address the problem on the continuing killings in Guihulngan City in northern Negros Oriental.
In an interview Tuesday afternoon, Negros Oriental police director, Senior Supt. Raul Tacaca, admitted that the PNP alone cannot solve the murders, mostly carried out by unidentified suspects, who shoot their victims even in broad daylight in the city’s hinterlands or even in the central district.
Tacaca said the killings are mostly related to the insurgency problem or illegal drugs.
Public clamor is on the rise in Guihulngan City for law enforcers to address the killings. The police said it could not categorically say whether the murders are related but residents believe so.
When asked if an in-depth investigation has been made to connect the killings, Tacaca said “hindi pa namin ma-establish talaga ang exact motive (we have not really established the exact motives).”
He further said the people are afraid to provide the police with information that would help them in their investigation.
“Sa totoo lang talaga, takot ang mga tao doon, lalo na yung nasa hinterland barangays (The truth is people there, especially in the hinterland barangays, are fearful),” said Tacaca, attributing this to the “presence of the armed group there.”
He was referring to the New People’s Army (NPA), who had also recently claimed responsibility for some of the killings due to the victims’ “crimes against the people."
Tacaca, however, assured that the police and the Philippine Army are coordinating their efforts.
"Actually, ang aming regional director ay meron na kaming mga plan in coordination with the AFP (actually, our regional director, in coordination with the AFP, already has a plan) to address the problem in Guihulngan,” he disclosed.
Tacaca further said they will hold a coordinating conference between the PNP and the AFP soon to lay down their joint security plan.
The latest victim in Guihulngan City was a businesswoman who was gunned down along Roxas St. in the city’s central district or poblacion on Tuesday evening.
A police report said the victim, Haide Malalay Flores, 45 years old, married, and a resident of the said place, was on her way home at about 6:45 p.m. Tuesday on board a motorcycle when two suspects shot her several times for a still undetermined motive.
She was pronounced dead on arrival at the Guihulngan City District Hospital.
Police recovered six empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol from the crime scene.
Among those killed in recent weeks were a village chief, the driver of the vice mayor, and a former Army soldier.
Meanwhile, the Guihulngan police are being cautious when responding to shooting incidents to avoid a repeat of the ambush-slay of six policemen and a civilian and the wounding of three others last year in the hinterland village of Magsaysay.
Tacaca said they do not want to “fall into the same trap again” as he admitted the response time of police personnel is affected at times as they need to make sure of their safety before proceeding to the crime scene.
Such was the case of the recent shooting incident at a port in Barangay Bulado, Guihulngan, when the police reportedly did not respond immediately after having received reports that armed men were seen in the area.
“Kaya nga meron kaming mga precautionary measures (That is why we have precautionary measures), and we have to make sure that, indeed, there is a shooting incident before we respond,” he said.
The Philippine Army is also assisting the police there, he added.
Tacaca earlier welcomed the pronouncement of Governor Roel Degamo that he would not approve his appointment as full-fledged provincial police director unless the spate of killings in Guihulngan has been solved.
According to the police official, it is a “challenge” for him and the police to work double time, but stressed that it is also the responsibility of the local government officials and the general public to contribute to the efforts to attain peace in their communities. (PNA)
