PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday said on Tuesday, August 20, that four of the 11 incidents of killing in Negros Oriental have already been solved.

“The Regional Director of Police Regional Office 7 in Central Visayas, Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, reported that out of 11 shooting incidents that transpired in different municipalities of Negros Oriental, four cases were already solved and referred to the Prosecutor’s Office of Dumaguete City,” Albayalde said in a press conference in Camp Crame.

“Continuous manhunt operation is ongoing for the arrest of seven other identified suspects,” he added.

He did not specify which of the cases have been solved. Neither did he identify the suspects who are still at large.

Albayalde said the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has created a special task group to further investigate the spate of killings in Negros Oriental.

In just 10 days in July, 17 people were shot and killed across Negros Oriental.

Among the victims were lawyer Anthony Trinidad, educators Arthur and Ardale Bayawa, former mayor Edsel Enardecido, Canlaon City councilor Ramon Jalandoni and barangay chairman Ernesto Posadas.

These killings started a few days after four policemen were executed by members of the communist New People's Army in Ayungon town.

Six suspected NPA members have been arrested for the killing of the four policemen.

The PNP earlier ordered the augmentation of police and military forces in the area to prevent similar incidents. (SunStar Philippines)