THE Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) assured the public that the implementation of strict security in Negros Oriental and the ongoing probe into the killing of late governor Roel Degamo will not be affected amid the installation of a new police chief in the province.

Last week, Colonel Alex Recinto was named as director of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) following the relief of Colonel Reynaldo Lizardo on March 22.

PRO 7 spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare said the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) has already arranged all the necessary procedures especially in identifying those involved in the killing of Degame and eight others on March 4.

It is unknown if Lizardo's replacement was connected to Degamo’s assassination, but Pelare said the reshuffling activity was done because some generals are set to retire in the next few months.

General Anthony Aberin, the newly installed PRO 7 director, ordered Recinto to maintain security measures throughout the entire province together with the army personnel deployed in the area and to continue the investigation on Degamo’s case.

The PRO 7 also wanted Recinto to conduct an investigation on the previous killings in the province allegedly committed by some politicians from 2020 to 2022, which until now remain unsolved.

“Third is to look into the previous murder cases 2020, 2021 and 2022 and check what are the status of these cases and are they related, who are the perpetrators, mag match ang mga pusil and so on and so forth. The intention is to really make sure na justice will be served and peace and security will be restored in Negros Oriental,” Pelare said. (AYB/TPT)