BACOLOD City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has ordered the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the identities of the decomposing bodies found along the Economic Highway in Barangays Cabug and Felisa in the city.

Benitez said Monday, May 8, that these incidents should not happen again and that the police should double their efforts to determine the identities of the victims.

He said he already talked with BCPO Acting Director Colonel Noel Aliño and he was informed that the victims are not from Bacolod City and there were no missing persons in the city.

“They already know what they should do, and I will give them more time to perform, but of course, it’s the concern of everybody, so it should not happen again,” he added.

On May 2, the decomposing body of a man was found inside a sack along the Economic Highway, Purok Ipil-Ipil, Barangay Cabug.

On the following day, the victim, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, was identified by his siblings, who are from Silay City, in a funeral parlor in Barangay Taloc, Bago City.

On April 30, two dead bodies were also found inside a culvert pipe along the Economic Highway in Hacienda Sayson, Barangay Felisa.

One of the victims who was placed inside the sack was found naked, while the other was wearing long pants.

The police are still investigating to determine the identity of the victims.

This is the fourth body found in various areas in Bacolod City since Aliño, acting director of BCPO, assumed his post on April 18.

On April 24, a call center agent was also found dead in a Nipa hut at Villa Sto. Rosario, Barangay Alijis.

Major Nestor Bacuyag, spokesperson of BCPO, earlier said that they will form a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) that will be headed by the acting director of BCPO to solve the cases of found dead bodies, including the severed body parts that were recently dumped in different barangays in the city.

He said Aliño already ordered all the station commanders to intensify their visibility patrol within their areas of jurisdiction to pre-empt the possible operation of the lawless elements.

Aliño also ordered the creation of a permanent police compact along the Economic Highway as well as the assistance of the force multipliers in various barangays.*