PRO-7 director Ferro to criminals: ‘You have no place here’ 

Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro speaks during a press conference at the Sinagtala Hall of Camp Sergio Osmeña on Wednesday morning, February 12, 2020. CDN Digital photo | Immae Lachica

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, the chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), warned criminals to stay away from the region now that he’s in charge.

Ferro said this during a press conference at the Sinagtala Hall of Camp Sergio Osmeña on Wednesday morning, February 12, 2020, after a buy-bust operation the night before resulted to the death of a policeman, Police  Master Sergeant Maximino Macua, Jr.

Macua, a member of the Special Operations Unit 5 (SOU5) of the Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), was shot during an anti illegal drugs operation on Tuesday night, February 11, 2020, in San Roque Tabada, Barangay Mambaling here.

He was still brought to the Miller Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The buy-bust operation led to the arrest of three suspects: Franco Obeso, who was also shot during the encounter but was immediately brought the hospital for medical treatment; Jeremea Zafra; and Richie Requinto. 

Zafra and Requinto are now under the custody of the authorities. 

A follow-up operation on Tuesday night in Barangay Quiot also led to the killing of two more suspects, Ronald Sagarino and his cohort who has yet to be identified by the police.

“This will serve as a warning to all criminals,” Ferro said. “Hawa mo diri kay wa moy lugar dinhi sa Central Visayas.”

(Get out of here because you have no place here in Central Visayas.)

Authorities are still conducting follow up operations for the apprehension of the remaining two suspects are who believed to be part of a gun-for-hire group in Cebu 

Meanwhile, Ferro expressed immense sadness over the death of Macua, who he used to work with when he led the Special Operations Unit.

“This is my unit before, I was really so saddened that guy who used to secure me when I was in Cebu died during my assumption,” Ferro said.

Ferro was installed as chief of the PRO-7 on  Tuesday, February 11, 2020.

Ferro said during his time, SOU5 was considered the best unit. 

At one point during the press conference,  Ferro got emotional when he recalled the days when Macua used to work for him. 

“When I finished the program I immediately went to Miller Hospital, unfortunately ano na siya” said Ferro as he held back tears. 

Ferro said the police is open to helping the family of Macua, who is survived by his wife and three children.  /bmjo