Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is now planning to talk with newly installed Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla to prevent the entry of illegal of illegal drugs in city.
This was after at least P9.6 million worth of illegal drugs were seized by operatives of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) in separate drug bust operations over the weekend amid intensified security operations for the 45th MassKara Festival celebration.
“Even before October, I already directed Colonel Joeresty Coronica, director of BCPO, to watch out for the entry of illegal drugs. They know that during the festival there will be more visitors and proliferation of illegal drugs,” Benitez said.
He said the drug personalities will take advantage of the celebration of the festival.
“They can try but they can never succeed, we already doubled our efforts to neutralize them,” he added.
The mayor noted that he was informed that illegal drugs were sourced from outside Negros Occidental.
“So, this has to be elevated to the national level and I will talk to the new DILG secretary to give him the information that I have received on the ground so they can take preventive action at the national level,” Benitez said.
He said the Bacolod police should also consider the reward system to apprehend the illegal drug group personalities.
“The reward system is not just focused on killings or kidnappings. Any crime committed here especially, the PNP feel that it needs to be addressed immediately and it needs public support to gather intelligence or information so they can do so,” he added.
Benitez earlier approved the amount from P20,000 to a maximum of P50,000 cash reward to the credible informants on unsolved killings in Bacolod City.
Coronica earlier said it has been observed that some individuals who witnessed a shooting incident refused to be witnesses on the case because they also feared for their lives.
“By way of reward, maybe we can convince them of their social responsibility and they should cooperate with the police for the investigation to solve the cases,” he said.
If the informants face a possible threat, he added the police will also provide security to ensure their safety./MAP.