BACOLOD City – Police and military checkpoints could scare away foreign tourists, warned Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of Negros Occidental.
Security has been beefed up in neighboring Negros Oriental following the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo and eight other civilians on March 4 in Pamplona town.
While the locals understand the situation, Lacson said foreigners may not.
Around 300 Philippine Army soldiers were assigned to the Joint Task Force (JTF) Negros to secure Negros Island, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The soldiers include the elite Light Reaction Company of the Army; they specialize in counter-terrorism operations.
JTF Negros personnel have been deployed to 21 areas in Negros Oriental to conduct joint security checkpoints with the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as to hunt down the remaining four to five suspects in the Degamo assassination.
Although operations are mostly being conducted in Negros Oriental, law enforcement personnel in Negros Occidental are also on the lookout for the suspects and thus also conduct checkpoints especially at the border with Negros Oriental.
“Basically the instruction of the President was to suppress criminal activities and impunity in Negros Oriental,” Lacson pointed out. “Hopefully, they can resolve the issue on the remaining suspects.”
The governor said it would be good if law enforcers would identify the remaining suspects.
He further said the earlier the authorities track down and apprehend the suspects, the better for Negros Island.
“Negros Occidental is open to tourists. We have to be prepared, especially resort owners, to accept more visitors,” Lacson added.
BCPO on the lookout, too
The City Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is also on the lookout for the remaining suspects. It has strengthened its border control.
In an interview over XFM 96.7 Bacolod, Police Major Joery Puerto, chief of the BCPO-CIU, said they are confirming information that one of the suspects may have a family or close relatives in Bacolod.
One of the vehicles recovered in Bayawan City shortly after the massacre was also discovered to have been registered in Bacolod. Puerto said the vehicle may have been rented out; they are currently gathering more information.
The city’s police stations as well as the 61 village chiefs have also been told to be on guard./PN
