PNP chief on Negros killings: ‘No martial law’

PNP Chief Police General Oscar Albayalde (File photo)
PNP Chief Police General Oscar Albayalde (File photo)

PHILIPPINE National Police Chief Police General Oscar Albayalde assured Monday, July 29, that there will be no declaration of martial law in Negros despite the series of killings.

“Negros will not be declared under martial law despite the series of killings in the Oriental side”.

The killings in Negros Oriental has already claimed the lives of 18 people including four police officers.

According to Albayalde, even though some of the killings were perpetrated by insurgents from the New People’s Army (NPA), they are still conducting a thorough investigation in order to determine which group was responsible for the murders.

The recent wave of killings started on July 18, when four police officers were executed in front of villagers of Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town, Negros Oriental by suspected members of the NPA.

Since then, 14 others have been killed.

The PNP chief added that the NPA has long been known to “sacrificing” their own members and then blame law enforcement for the killings.

In response to the growing violence in Negros, Albayalde said they have made the decision to deploy more than 300 members of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) to further augment the local police force.

“I have ordered yesterday the deployment of more than 300 Special Action Force (SAF) troops to Negros Island to augment local police units in anti-criminality and internal security operations against criminal elements and dissident terrorist groups operating in the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental,” Albayalde said Monday.

When asked if there will be a change in the current leadership of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, Albayalde replied that they are presently awaiting for the recommendation from Police Regional Office-Central Luzon director, Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas.

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