Reyes: No cause for alarm
over rising rape cases in WV
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Region 6 police chief Doroteo Reyes yesterday said there is nothing to be alarmed about in the number of rape cases which is the highest in Western Visayas when compared to the 16 other regions of the country for 2005.

Of the 2,918 rape cases recorded by the Philippine National Police Women and Children's Concern Desk, 326 took place in the Western Visayas, placing the region on top of the list of sexual molestation cases, followed by the National Capital Region with 296 and Region 5 - 276.

Of the six provinces in Western Visayas, Negros Occidental also topped the PRO 6 list, with the most number of rape cases last year, police records show.

Brushing aside the tagging of Western Visayas as "rape capital" of the Philippines for year 2005, Reyes said, "We are very active in responding to women and children's problems".

He added that the intensified information campaign of the PRO 6 Women's Desk on basic rights of children and women has produced a positive result in prompting victims of sexual abuse to come out and pursue legal action against their suspects.

"We have to awaken our people and everybody in the community that the solution to the problem is not that easy, " Reyes, who was the guest of honor and speaker at the 15th PNP Day celebration yesterday at Camp Alfredo Montelibano in Bacolod City, said. Among the factors noted by the police that have triggered rape incidents were the proliferation of pornographic materials, drunkenness, and the morality of a person, according to Region 6 police WCCD chief Cecil Detablan.

She added that incidents of rape also topped the list of crimes committed against children and women in Western Visayas.

Police records also showed that 70 percent of violence and incidents against women took place in homes and perpetrated by people known to the victims.

Despite the increasing trend of crime incidents involving women and children, Detablan said the police in Western Visayas has significantly improved in its responses to these abuses.*GPB

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Army to continue
pursuit of rebels
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The 61st Infantry Battalion of the Army will continue to press operations against a platoon-sized group of the Larangan Gerilya 2 in the upland areas of Himamaylan City and neighboring places, despite the smear campaign against them, its commander, Lt. Col. Norman Flores, said.

Flores added that the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros is now mobilizing its 'united front', composed of militant organizations, to ease the pressure on New People's Army red fighters operating in the area.

Karapatan-Negros also vowed to press charges against 61st IB soldiers whom they accused of manhandling two Bayan Muna members in Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan City. Dismissing another wave of accusations against them as a "big lies", Flores said a barangay official of Caradio-an and the Himamaylan police can testify that his soldiers have not committed any misdemeanor, contrary to the claims of Bayan Muna and Karapatan.

The 61st IB is now implementing Special Operations Team campaign in Brgys. Caradio-an, Buenavista and San Antonio, in Himamaylan City, which aimed at destroying the political and military infrastructures of the CPP-NPA.

A similar campaign is also being initiated by the 11th Infantry Battalion in five barangays of central Negros classified by the military as rebel-influenced areas.

Flores said he will not tolerate any abuses under his command.*GPB

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Police chiefs of San Carlos, Silay reassume posts today
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Supts. Ricardo de la Paz and Celestino Guara are back as city police chiefs of San Carlos and Silay, Negros Occidental, respectively, effective today.

De la Paz and Guara and 12 others police commissioned officers assigned in Negros Occidental, recently completed the nine-month Public Safety Officers Senior Executive Course at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City, a requirement for them for promotion to the rank of senior superintendent.

The re-instatement of De la Paz and Guara to their old positions, was ordered and signed yesterday by Senior Supt. Charles Calima, police provincial director of Negros Occidental. Senior Inspectors Samuel Mina and Victorino Romanillos who occupied the positions vacated by Guara and De la Paz for nine months, are expected to slide down as deputy police chiefs of Silay and San Carlos, respectively.

The San Carlos City Police Station, under the stewardship of Romanillos for almost nine months, was adjudged as best city police station for 2005 in Negros Occidental.

Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz also received an award from Region 6 police chief Doroteo Reyes after the EB Magalona Police Station he commanded, was also adjudged best municipal police station in the same period.

Mayors Alfonso Gamboa, Carlo Gamban and Severo Palanca of EB.Magalona, Silay and Victorias, respectively, also received citations from Reyes, in recognition of the support they extended to their police stations.

Calima also re-designated Chief Inspector Violeta Noblezada as Police Community Relations officer of the Negros Occidental police effective Feb. 20.

However, it was not yet known yesterday if Supt. Danilo Peña, Supt. Edgardo Ordaniel, Chief Inspector Jomil John Trio, police chiefs of Kabankalan, Cadiz and Sipalay, respectively, will also re-assume their old positions.

Supt. Larry Decena, former Region 6 PNP camp commander, is now back at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.*GPB

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