Aumentado to cops: Enhance police visibility, intel gathering

Bohol Gov. Erico Aris Aumentado meets with BPPO director PCol. Lorenzo Batuan and PIDMU head Major Bonifacio Lucerna on Saturday to discuss the peace and order situation in their province. | Photo from FB page of Erico Aris Aumentado.

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Bohol Governor Erico Aris Aumentado has ordered enhanced police visibility and intelligence gathering following the at least five shootings that were reported in their province in the last two months.

Aumentado gave his instructions in a meeting with Police Colonel Lorenzo Batuan, director of the Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO), on Saturday, April 22, to discuss the province’s peace and order situation of the province.

The meeting was also attended by Police Major Bonifacio Lucerna, chief of Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Unit (PIDMU).

Aumentado briefed

Batuan briefed Aumentado of the shootings that were reported in the towns of Ubay, San Miguel, and Inabanga.

“Sa maong meeting, gipahibalo kita sa sitwasyon sa lima (5) ka mga shooting incidents nga nahitabo sa mga lungsod sa Ubay, San Miguel, ug Inabanga sulod sa Marso ug Abril, 2023, ug nasabutan namo na mas palapdan pa ang police visibility ug intelligence sa BPPO diri sa probinsya,” Aumentado said in an advisory.

(During the meeting, we were informed of the situation of the five shooting incidents that happened in the towns of Ubay, San Miguel and Inabanga, in March and April 2023, and we agreed that police visibility will be enhanced and also intelligence (gathering) of the BPPO here in the province.)

Where the shootings happened

Three shooting incidents were reported in Ubay town in April.

Last April 3, Holy Monday,  a retired policeman from Bien Unido town was shot dead while in Barangay Calanggaman in Ubay town.

A few days later or on April 14, another shooting incident occurred at the boundary between Barangay Los Angeles, Ubay and San Miguel town.

On April 17, one was shot dead while another was injured when a gasoline station in Barangay San Pascual, Ubay town was robbed by two still unidentified men who carted away cash amounting to at least P350,000.

Bishop Alberto Uy of Diocese of Tagbilaran and Bishop Patrick Daniel Parcon of Diocese of Talibon issued a  joint pastoral message on April 19 to ask Boholanos to listen to their conscience.

“Shameful and diabolical disobedience to the fifth commandment of God, “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13)—it is a great sin and crime to kill on the resurrection of our Lord.  What ever happened to the distinct/unique Boholano trait of being God-loving and God-fearing?” read part of their joint pastoral message.

Uy and Parcon added that anger, greed and hatred have made the sacred gifts of human life worthless.

As this developed, Governor Aumentado also asked Bolanons to always keep their cool and to immediately settle their disagreements with their friends or family members to prevent the conflict from escalating.

“Kung aduna nay sagol nga hulga ang inyong away, idiresto na kini sa inyong barangay o ipa-blotter sa pinakaduol na police station,” he added.

(If there is a threat mixed in your argument, then go directly to the barangay or have it recorded in the blotter of the nearest police station.)

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