Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, SITG spokesperson says policemen of the Santa Catalina town have already been relieved from their posts. | File photo
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental — Aside from policemen from Bayawan City Police Station, all police personnel from the Santa Catalina Municipal Police Station were also relieved from their posts.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), said that 56 policemen were relieved from their post effective on Wednesday, March 8.
“We are placing fresh legs on the ground because of the ongoing hot pursuit operations. Yung Bayawan City na replace, yung Santa Catalina, na replace rin. This is in line with our ongoing hot pursuit operations na yong mga police natin ay still fresh, they are motivated and they have the physical endurance,” Pelare said.
(We are placing fresh legs on the ground because of the ongoing hot pursuit operations. Bayawan City has already been replaced, we have also replaced Santa Catalina (policemen). This is in line with our ongoing hot pursuit operations that our policemen are still fresh, they are motivated and they have the physical endurance.)
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“It is very near to the area, to the place where the incident happened and to the place where the firearms, the vehicles, and the suspects were arrested,” he said.
Bayawan City police were relieved from their posts on Tuesday, March 7.
Pelare said that they still believe that other perpetrators were still in Negros Island considering the strict implementation of their security measures.
Police and the military are strictly implementing checkpoints and the entry and exit points in the island remain sealed.
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