CEBU CITY, Philippines – The visit here today of President Rodrigo Duterte, his first this year, has been preceded by three days of relentless anti-crime campaigns that spilled the blood of nearly a dozen individuals in the different parts of Cebu.
At least 15 people died within a span of 36 hours, seven of whom were slain by unknown killers, based on the reports compiled by Cebu Daily News Digital.
The killings — both during police operations and by unknown perpetrators — happened at about the same time that the different units of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Cebu launched its second Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations (Sempo) for this year exactly at midnight of Thursday, February 21.
The Sempo required all police stations in the province to conduct buy-bust operations and serve search warrants to individuals suspected of possessing loose firearms.
A breakdown of the series of shooting incidents in Cebu from February 21 to February 23, based on reports from Cebu Daily News Digital | CDN Graphics/ Morexette Marie Erram
When the operations ended 48 hours later, or at Saturday midnight (February 23), eight persons were confirmed dead from these operations: four in Cebu City, two in Cordova town on Mactan Island, one in Daanbantayan town in southern Cebu, and one in Carcar City in southern Cebu.
Seven other persons were killed in non-police related operations but were still believed to be drug-related: Two in Talisay City, whose bullet-riddled bodies were found on the roadside of the mountain village of Maghaway; and four in Consolacion town in northern Cebu, who were attacked by motorcycle-riding gunmen; and one in Mandaue City.
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In a press conference on Saturday, February 23, Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), admitted that they conducted the Sempo in anticipation of President Duterte’s visit.
“We conducted a two-day OTBT (One-Time-Big-Time, the former name of Sempo) for the very purpose of the President’s visit, who will be proclaiming the candidates in his visit here,” Sinas said.
But as to why a Sempo had to be implemented, the PRO-7 chief did not elaborate.
President Duterte is expected to lead the proclamation rally of the senatorial bets of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP – Laban) at Plaza Independencia at 3 p.m. today.
He will also be distributing grants of unconditional cash transfers at the Cebu Technological University (CTU) along M.J. Cuenco Avenue at 6 p.m./ elb
READ MORE: President Duterte to attend two events in downtown Cebu City on Sunday