THE Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) urged members of the Epogon crime group to surrender and assured them of their safety.

The appeal came after last week's murders involving two alleged Epogon crime group members in Bacolod City and Silay City.

Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, NOCPPO spokesperson, on Monday, March 21, 2021, said from June 2020 until this year, the crime group's leader, Francisco Dela Cruz Epogon, had already been arrested, while four alleged members have been murdered.

Donasco said it was possible that the Epogon group may have either encountered and engaged in a conflict with another crime group operating in the province or there may have been fights from within the group itself.

It was also possible that illegal drugs may be the reason behind the murders, she said.

The NOCPPO spokesperson appealed to the criminal group members to surrender, assuring them that they will do their best to keep them and their families safe.

"They may do it anonymously by just proceeding to their nearest police station, by the time they surrender we can give them the proper security so as not to reveal their profiles," Donasco said.

Donasco also made a similar plea to other criminal and drug groups to do the same, as they are all being closely monitored and aggressively targeted for police operation.

On Thursday, March 18, 55-year-old Jose Estaniel, an alleged Epogon crime group member, was killed outside his home in Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City as he was celebrating his birthday.

Estaniel's murder was followed on Friday by Arnold Rivera, who was shot dead at Hacienda Malinao, Barangay E. Lopez, Silay City. Rivera was also allegedly a member of the Epogon crime group.