DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) -- Negros Oriental remains generally peaceful despite the political turmoil that marred the province following the assassination of Gov. Roel Degamo in March last year.

“It is  a relatively peaceful situation due to effective police interventions and proactive approach against crimes coupled with the partnership and collaboration with other security forces and the local government units,” said spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO), Lt. Stephen Polinar. 

Speaking during the recent Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting, Polinar said a total of 142,943 checkpoints operations were conducted across the province. 

This was to intensify security operations after Degamo’s assassination on March 4, 2023 and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections last year.

Negros Oriental was placed under Comelec control following the March 4, 2023 assassination of Degamo who was gunned down while distributing government aid at his residence in Pamplona town. 

Nine others were killed and 16 were injured during the attack that happened in broad daylight.  

Joint Task Force Negros 

Following Degamo’s assassination, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police created Joint Task Force Negros to prevent violence from possibly escalating in the province. 

Army soldiers and police from outside the province were deployed to Negros Oriental to boost the security measures such as mobile and static checkpoints and patrol operations.

Polinar reported that the provincial police force’s anti-criminality campaign included the conduct of 72,244 foot patrols, 76,202 mobile patrols, and 78,188 ‘Oplan Bakal Sita’ or police operations against loose firearms. 

Polinar said the checkpoints boosted the police campaign against crimes during the simultaneous operations in different local government units or various strategic locations as part of ‘Oplan Sita.’

The establishment of checkpoints aimed to reduce crimes and ensure public safety. 

It may be recalled that 100 days after the brutal attack, the police noted a drop in crime incidents in the province. 

PNP reported that their office only recorded 942 crime incidents from March 5 to June 12, 2023, which is 7.7 percent less than the 1,108 crime incidents recorded 100 days prior to the brutal attack on Degamo. 

Anti-crime drive accomplishments

Police operatives also confiscated over P33 million worth of illegal drugs as a result of its 474 anti-criminality law enforcement operations in 2023.

Under Republic Act 9287 or the campaign against illegal gambling, the police arrested 2,133 persons with total bet money confiscated at P286,548.50.

As a result of the campaign against loose firearms or R.A. 8294, the provincial police arrested 81 individuals with 1,432 firearms seized or recovered and 508 loose firearms surrendered. 

The police also cracked down on illegal logging activities with 15 persons arrested and logs worth P518,865.30 were confiscated. 

Polinar also reported that 49 persons were arrested for illegal fishing while cash and fishing materials amounting to P679,650.00 were confiscated. 

Twenty-one individuals were nabbed for illegal mining with confiscated cash amounting to P115,000.0. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)