BORDER PATROL. Police are working closely with the Philippine Army in conducting border control operations to prevent the spillover of violence from Negros Oriental, Col. Romeo Baleros, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said on Friday (July 26, 2019). Policemen in Negros Occidental were also told to always be alert to defend police stations. (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY -- The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office is tightly securing the province’s boundary to prevent the spillover of violence from neighboring Negros Oriental, where four police officers were killed by suspected rebels last week.
Col. Romeo Baleros, provincial police director, said on Friday that they are working closely with the Philippine Army in conducting border control operations.
“We are coordinating with our counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines to seal off all possible entry points,” Baleros said in an interview.
On July 18, four policemen, identified as Cpl. Relebert Beronio, Pat. Raffy Callao, Pat. Roel Cabellon, and Pat. Marquino de Leon of the 704th Mobile Force Company of the 7th Regional Mobile Force Battalion -- were seized and summarily executed by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Mabato, Ayungon, Negros Oriental.
A week later on Thursday, a village chief and two employees of the Department of Education in Guihulngan City were shot dead while the day before, a rebel returnee and a farmers’ association leader were gunned down by alleged NPA members in Zamboanguita town.
On Tuesday, a lawyer from San Carlos City, Negros Occidental was shot dead while his wife was injured also in Guihulngan City. On the same day, suspected NPA rebels burned heavy equipment in the same city.
Earlier, Baleros warned policemen in Negros Occidental to exercise more caution when responding to calls for assistance in risky areas, following the incident in Ayungon.
He reminded policemen to conduct a risk assessment of the area, which has the presence of armed groups and criminals, before proceeding to respond.
“We want to prevent duplication of the gruesome incident (in Ayungon),” he added.
Baleros also told his men to always be alert to defend police stations. (PNA)
