Elmer Peñola who was shot in Barangay Hipodromo. | Photo from Paul Lauro
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and the Talisay City Police station, are planning to deploy patrols and create new plans in police deployment in the areas where recent killings have taken place.
Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, chief of the CCPO, told CDN Digital that he will be meeting with his investigators on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, to assess what the recent killings are implying.
But as an immediate countermeasure, Soriano said they will be deploying more policemen on mobile and foot patrols around barangays Sapangdaku, Sawang Calero and Hipodromo.
This, after three persons were killed in the above areas including a registered real estate broker identified as John Ian Chan of Barangay Kalunasan, a fish port worker in Barangay Pasil identified as a certain Aldrin, and house painter, Elmer Peñola of Barangay Hipodromo.
Read more: 3 killed in Cebu City in less than five hours
Soriano said that one of the things to be discussed in their meeting is the rationalized deployment of police patrols around the barangays under CCPO.
“Iibahin namin yung deployment, kasi dati na kasi yung deployment dati na kasi… kailangan baguhin – iadjust dun sa mga insidente,” said Soriano.
(We will change the strategy of our deployment since it is an old structure… it needs to be adjusted according to the needs of the time.)
Soriano said they will also sustain their intensified operations against loose firearms to curtail crimes in the city.
Meanwhile, Police Major Gerard Ace Pelare, chief of the Talisay City police station, said he will also be assigning mobile patrols in Barangay Manipis, where two men have been killed in a span of five days.
Pelare said they are still determining if the two killings in Campo 5, Barangay Manipis, were drug-related.
The first victim who was found last February 19, and has yet to be identified, had packs of suspected shabu in his possession when his body was inspected by the police. The second victim found on Sunday, February 23, was identified as Tereso Cabahug Jr., 41, of Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City and was alleged to be a high-value individual (HVI) who was included in the watchlist.
He said the investigators as of this time are still establishing the background of Cabahug from his family in order to gather information if the victim had enemies.
Pelare said he will be coordinating with the CCPO to know if the killings in Talisay and Cebu City are related.
“Possible siya nga result sa relentless operations. Basi nag away na ni sila unya sila (victims) maoy ga tug-an,” said Pelare.
(It is possible that this is a result of our relentless operations. Maybe these drug personalities have been arguing and the victims were probably about to spill the beans to the police.) /rcg