BACOLOD City – On Nov. 14, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) announced its readiness to support the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) in investigating recent killings here.
This statement follows the remarks made by Major Elmer Bonilla, the commander of BCPO Police Station 1, who mentioned their intention to request data from ballistic cross-matching to determine whether the firearms used in the shootings in Bacolod City and other areas of Negros Occidental match.
Bonilla also noted that they had observed “something peculiar” in the movements of the suspects based on closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) footage of the incident along Araneta Street in Barangay 15 of the city on Friday, November 10.
Police Major Rhojn Darrel Nigos, spokesperson for NOCPPO, expressed their readiness to conduct a case review and analysis of other incidents in the province to determine if there is any connection between the killings in Bacolod and nearby areas.
Regarding the cross-examination, Nigos stated that NOCPPO’s Forensics Unit is prepared to provide assistance in firearms identification and other necessary examinations.
When asked about the existence of vigilante groups operating in the province, Nigos reiterated that, as BCPO had previously stated, they have not observed any such groups in Negros Occidental.
He assured the residents that police commanders and their respective units are making every effort to maintain peace and order in the province and prevent any potential crime incidents in their areas.
Nigos also mentioned that they are maintaining continuous coordination with other law enforcement agencies.
Last week, two men were fatally shot in downtown Bacolod. The victims were identified as Nobert Aguda and Kenneth Jamandre, residents of Barangay 35 and Barangay 16 in the city, respectively.
A background check revealed that Aguda and Jamandre were suspects in a series of home burglaries reported in various police units across the city.
However, despite their backgrounds, the police are currently investigating past grudges and possible links to illegal drugs as motives for the murders. (Watchmen Daily Journal) /PN
