PNP appoints new Central Visayas police chief

CEBU CITY — Central Visayas has a new police chief.

Brigadier General Anthony Aberin assumed his post as director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) on Monday, March 20.

Aberin replaced Brigadier General Jerry Bearis, relieved as chief of PRO-7 on Friday, March 17, after serving the region for nearly three months.

Bearis was named head of the Philippine National Police Aviation Security (AvSec) Group based in Camp Crame, which Aberin formerly led.

While the order from Camp Crame did not mention any reason for the revamp, Bearis’ reassignment came 13 days after the killing of Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo and eight other people inside the public official’s residential compound in Pamplona town on March 4.

READ: DOJ sees 3 to 4 masterminds who conspired to kill Gov. Degamo

Aberin assured the public he would be working on an “airtight” case against the other suspects and the mastermind in the killing of Degamo.

He said would hit the ground running with a meeting with the Special Investigation Task Force for an update on the case.

Aside from stopping “senseless killings,” Aberin said his priority would also include running after illegal gambling, particularly “e-sabong” activities.

“Many already died because of e-sabong,” said Aberin, recalling the more than 30 missing people in Luzon involved in this type of illegal gambling operation.

The victims were still not found until now.

“We will give emphasis on e-sabong. And I just hope that kind of gambling will stop,” Aberin said.

The new police chief in Central Visayas also vowed to continue operations against illegal drugs and the intensified police visibility in the region to prevent crimes.

JPV/abc