Police Colonel Clarito Baja, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office chief. | Photo Courtesy of PRO-7
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) has deployed 24/7 police mobile patrols in certain areas in the city in order to address the number of crimes that have transpired over the week.
Police Colonel Clarito Baja, LLCPO chief, said police units in the city were directed to conduct longer patrols particularly in the Newtown area, Barangay Basak, Barangay Ibo and Barangay Marigondon where crime rates are higher compared to the other areas.
The new directive came in the wake of the ambush-slay of a former seaman by motorcycle-riding gunmen along the road of Barangay Soong on August 15, 2019.
Read more: Police to witnesses, estranged wife: Help us in probe of former seaman’s killing
Five days later, at 2:30 p.m. on August 19, 2019, another shooting incident occured in M.L. Quezon National Highway in Barangay Pajo, killing another seaman.
Read more: Motorcycle-riding gunmen kill former seaman, wound his driver in Pajo ambush
On Sunday, August 20, a body with gunshot wounds was found in Sitio Shooting Star, Barangay Babag.
Read more: Police: No clue yet on who murdered the man dumped in Lapu-Lapu City
Baja said the commanders of the police stations that have jurisdiction over the areas where the crimes happened were ordered to conduct thorough investigations and ensure these are solved at the earliest time possible.
He also ordered greater police visibility all over the city, not just in crime-prone areas.
“Atoa gyud i-enhance atoa police visibility (We have to enhance our police visibility),” said Baja.
Police have yet to determine the motives in recent killings but Baja said a number of possibilities were being considered, including that these could be drug-related. /elb