Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) personnel ask individuals caught on the streets during the curfew hours to board the police mobile patrol to be brought to the police station. | Photo courtesy of LLCPO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — With three reported shootings in the first three days of the month, the public may start to worry about the safety in the highly urbanized city of Lapu-Lapu.
But Police Colonel Clarito Baja, chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), said the public has nothing to worry about as the police is working to catch the persons behind the crimes and help ensure safety in the community.
“Even when we are facing the problem with coronavirus, the Lapu-Lapu City police will not let the peace and order in our city be disrupted,” said Baja.
On Wednesday, June 3, 2020, a 43-year-old fish vendor was gunned down by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Barangay Agus.
Read: Fish vendor on bike shot dead in Lapu-Lapu City
A day before, an 18-year-old boy, Leo Padillo Duhig, was shot while walking along the street in Sitio Casio in Barangay Bankal at around 7:30 p.m.
Read: Another shooting in Bankal, Lapu-Lapu claims life of 18-year-old boy
On Monday, June 1, a 34-year-old job order employee of Lapu-Lapu City government was shot and killed by unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen in Sitio Coles, Barangay Bankal at past 1 p.m.
Read: Gunmen kill Lapu-Lapu JO in Bankal attack
Baja said he was able to meet all his station commanders together with the traffic and mobile patrol group of LLCPO to discuss the recent crimes.
Baja said once of the things they have talked about aside from the ongoing investigation of each cases, is how they would be able to secure the areas in the city to be able to respond immediately.
Among their plan is to enhance the deployment of the mobile patrol group and enhance police visibility with the help of the barangay (village) officials.
Baja assured that they will do their best to protect the community and arrest those who will be found guilty of committing those recent crimes.
“We are looking into this and will make sure that these perpetrators will be caught,” Baja said. /bmjo