STRICT border controls are now being implanted by the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Nocppo) in the cities of Talisay and Bago as well as Murcia town to ensure that no criminal elements and contraband will be brought to Bacolod City while the MassKara Festival is ongoing.
Nocppo Spokesperson Lt. Judesses Catalogo said yesterday, October 4, that they are conducting checkpoints in these areas until the festival is over.
Catalogo said 150 police non-commissioned officers and 31 officials will be deployed at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City for the “Panaad sa MassKara” event from October 10 to 16 to supervise the peace and order in the area.
He noted that the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has also requested Nocppo through the Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 for augmentation at the various festival sites.
“Originally, they (BCPO) requested for 322 police personnel but to avoid a vacuum in police operations, the PRO-6 only approved 181 including officials,” Catalogo also said.
Meanwhile, Nocppo continues to monitor the entry of illegal drugs in Negros Occidental that would possibly be distributed during the MassKara Festival.
Catalogo said they intensified the checkpoint at the border of the province in Kabankalan City where vehicles carrying contraband may pass through.
The successive anti-illegal drug operations in the past few weeks have resulted to the diminishing supply in Negros Occidental although drug couriers have become innovative in delivering the contraband to avoid getting arrested, he said.*