AT LEAST 214 policemen from Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) might be deployed to Negros to replace the entire troop of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Noppo).
The deployment is seen following the Philippine National Police's (PNP) mandate of reshuffling police personnel in the province following the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight civilians.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rodulf Oriol, MCPO deputy city director for operations and spokesperson, said in a press conference Wednesday, March 8, 2023, that they are now waiting for the directive coming from Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) and names of personnel for deployment.
Oriol said that aside from MCPO, there would also be 560 personnel from Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), 340 from Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), 220 from Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO), and 340 cops from Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO). They will replace the around 1,709 Noppo policemen.
MCPO has around 600 police personnel.
Oriol said the entire Noppo force would be distributed to all police offices in Central Visayas, but he said that for MCPO, they do not have the names of the Negros police who will be assigned in the office yet.
He said the new Noppo troop would have at least three Lieutenant Colonels, one Police Major, five Police Captains, and four Lieutenant, among others.
Meanwhile, Oriol said the officials of the Mandaue City Government have not yet asked for additional security despite what happened in Negros Oriental, adding that none of the city's high-ranking officials reported to them receiving death threats.
But Oriol said they had already proactively deployed additional security augmentation, particularly for the city mayor, district representative, and the Regional Trial Court Branch 88, among other offices.
He added that they also deployed security personnel within the residences of the local officials.
"This is just to prevent and perhaps to get the confidence of the people and our local officials," said Oriol.
Degamo and eight other people were killed in a mass shooting staged by at least six gunmen armed with rifles and wearing military-style uniforms inside his residential compound in Pamplona town, Negros Oriental, Saturday morning, March 4.
In a statement Wednesday, March 8, the PNP announced the release of the entire force of Bayawan City Police Station in Negros Oriental. They will be replaced by personnel of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion following the tragic incident.
"The relieved personnel will undergo a 30-day Character and Aptitude Development Training program (Cadet), which tackles values formation, internal discipline, and PNP ethical standards, among others," the PNP said. (HIC)