Top cop assures peace in Bacolod after jewelry heist

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is still on top of the situation.

This was the assurance of Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, on Thursday night following the jewelry heist inside Gaisano City Grand Mall here last Wednesday.

Pamuspusan said he assures the public that the police are still doing their responsibilities to maintain peace and order in the city.

“Hindi naman namin puwedeng irason na dahil sa may nangyari na sitwasyon sa ibang parte ng Bacolod, eh pababayaan na namin ang ibang lugar,” he added.

More or less P4.5 million worth of jewelries from two jewelry stores inside the shopping mall was carted away by nine armed robbers.

The robbery happened when most policemen were deployed to Ceres bus terminals three days ago due to the ongoing feud of the Yanson family, operator of Ceres Liner buses in Negros Occidental.

Pamuspusan said “I don’t agree that because more policemen were deployed there, the incident occurred. I was informed about the situation and the deputy should take care of the security and maintenance of peace and order here.”

“Police should really be on top of the situation but we cannot predict everything. Hindi man natin mabantayan lahat but we try to do everything to maintain peace,” he added.

Pamuspusan said he instructed all BCPO personnel to intensify police visibility patrol and implement the managing police operations concept.

Pamuspusan said he still have to talk to Police Major Charles Gever, head of Police Station 8 to know what really happened.

“Kasi kahit may gulo sa kabila, dapat he maintains peace and order in his area. I have to ask him for an explanation,” he added.

He has to explain it intelligently to determine why it happened. If he can’t explain it well, it can be a ground for a possible relief, the regional director said.

Pamuspusan said he was already informed by Police Colonel Henry Biñas, BCPO director that some suspects were already identified.

“My standing order to them is to conduct an immediate investigation and go after the persons whom they believe have something to do with the crime. We will just study later if there are administrative lapses,” he added.

He said Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) is also supporting the BCPO in pursuing the targets.

Although the information is still very raw, the BCPO had earlier said that they are studying the possible link of Ozamis robbery group behind the jewelry heist here.

We need to establish this and identify the perpetrators, Pamuspusan said.

 

‘ALARMING’

Pamuspusan said the incident can be alarming, considering that similar heists also happened in Manila and Laguna these past months.

“We will assess if it has connection to the incidents that happened in Luzon. Even our intelligence operatives are looking at this point,” he added.

He also urged the Supervising Office for Security and Investigation Authority (SOSIA) to review their protocols on the hiring or deployment of security guards in shopping malls.

This, after some mall goers who were present during the incident alleged that some of the mall security guards had no firearms when the robbery happened.

 

‘REINFORCEMENT’

Pamuspusan said he will first assess if there is a need for additional personnel here after the recent incident.

“I will ask the BCPO director first of his assessment and from there we will decide,” he added.

He said that 400 police recruits are now undergoing training at the region.

“We will check if where these new recruits will be assigned after the training,” he added.