Nocppo assures probe on drug-related killings

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) here assured that drug-related killings were not neglected.

Based on the records of Nocppo, 15 unsolved shooting deaths were reported from January to June 2021. Four of the incidents involved drug personalities.

The number is higher compared to last year’s seven murder cases in the same months, although only one was drug-related, three were solved, and four remain unsolved.

Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, Nocppo information officer, said they continue to investigate these incidents.

However, police also face challenges, particularly the reluctance or lack of witnesses.

“Kahit kasi sabihin na protected sila and they will remain anonymous, may tao talaga na takot kasi baka sila ang next na itarget pag nagsalita,” Donasco said.

Donasco said the progress of the investigations is up to the police station personnel assigned to follow up the cases.

“Hindi naman neglected, and kung may bagong information, tuloy-tuloy pa rin naman ang imbestigasyon,” she added.

Donasco stressed that they are not selective, and they do not prioritize any cases.

“Pare-pareho lang naman, basta crime, lahat iniimbestigahan,” she said.

Donasco is hoping that there will be no cold cases in the province.

The latest drug-related killing was reported in Victorias City on June 28, victimizing 59-year-old Danilo Toreña, a watch-listed “drug personality” in the city.

Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has not recorded any drug-related killings in the past six months this year, compared to five cases within the same period in 2020.

But based on tallies from interviews with commanders of stations with shooting incidents for June alone, four are possibly drug-related killings.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Lester Leada, BCPO’s head of Operations Management Unit, said there were cases wherein motives have yet to be determined, pending the testimonies of witnesses.

It’s not conclusive yet that these were drug-related because there might be other factors behind the crimes.

The BCPO has earlier assured that they also do not neglect these cases and are trying to solve them.

Meanwhile, the BCPO has conducted 284 police operations against illegal drugs and arrested 373 persons (260 alleged pushers and 107 users).

The arrested individuals include 15 high value targets, 348 street level targets, four newly identified targets, and six minors, while one was killed in the operation. A total of 568 cases were filed in court.

The city police force seized 1,621.47 grams of suspected shabu worth P11,025,996, and 52.54 grams of suspected marijuana worth P682.99 from January to June this year.