Negros police taps Army for border control

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) is now coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in controlling the borders of the island.

This was revealed by Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, director of Nocppo, following the series of killings in the adjacent province of Negros Oriental this week.

Baleros said they are not taking chances in the possible spill over of violence from Negros Oriental to Negros Occidental.

In fact, he already talked to Police Colonel Raul Tacaca, director of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Norppo), regarding his concerns during a legislative conference with other commanders in Iloilo last Thursday.

Baleros said the presence of three Army battalions under the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) of the Philippine Army can boost the peace and security in Negros Occidental.

On July 26, about seven suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) allegedly harassed some policemen and soldiers at Barangay San Jose, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental.

Initial investigation showed that a team of policemen led by Capt. Michael Rubia, officer-in-charge of Sta. Catalina Municipal Police Station, was on their way to the police office when they were allegedly attacked by armed men around 10 a.m.

They were also with some personnel of the 705th Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-7, some members of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army, and a rescue team from Sta.Catalina town. No injuries were reported.

Policemen came from Sitio Tara in the said village to investigate the killing of a man and his child last Thursday when the harassment happened.

The harassment came a week after the ambush slay of four policemen in Ayungon town staged by the NPA on July 18.

Baleros said he also discussed his concerns and security plan to Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, regional director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, during his visit at Nocppo headquarters here yesterday.

“We recognize the problem in Negros Oriental, thus we are preparing these security measures to protect the police stations and the people in the community here,” Pamuspusan said in a press briefing.

Pamuspusan said that the sealing off of all entry and exit points is part of their security preparations to have better border control mechanism.

He said he supports Baleros’s security plan to sustain the peace and order in the province, claiming the latter understands the situation here.

He also ordered all provincial police directors in Western Visayas to be aggressive in their security measures, and coordinate with the Philippine Army, in terms of insurgency and terrorism.