IN TALISAY
Police identify suspects
in slay of businessman

The Police has identified the two suspects who shot dead a businessman after divesting him of about P50,000 in payroll money at Hacienda Lanotan in Talisay City , Negros Occidental, last month.

Supt. Joseph Thomas Martir, Talisay police chief, yesterday said all they need are the affidavits of witnesses who had seen the two gunmen who shot businessman Herbert Hervias, 45, in Hacienda Lanotan, Brgy. Dos Hermanas , Talisay City .

Investigations showed that Hervias and his father, Giltalin, were on their way to Hacienda Cabiayan Ybiernas in Brgy. Dos Hermanas , Talisay City , to deliver payroll money, when they were waylaid by the two who were wearing black bonnets and were armed with .45 caliber pistols.

An empty shell of a .45 caliber pistol was recovered from the crime scene.

Hervias who alighted from the vehicle driven by his father, was shot by one of the suspects in the right leg and back, after he was divested of the P50,000 payroll money, police said.

Martir said they are now convincing witnesses to reduce into affidavits their testimonies that will be needed in filing cases against the suspects.

Martir said he has secured a photograph of one of the suspects.*GPB

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‘No let-up in fight
vs. street crimes'

Bacolod City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, said yesterday that his office remains optimistic in its campaign against street crimes even if reports of snatching, “pickpocketing”, and other theft cases in major streets and business areas of the city continue.

Quebrar said their police visibility drive aimed at preventing thieves from striking and “giving the public a sense of safety” continues, has been heightened with the recent deployment of 91 new officers who are completing their field training.

A jeepney driver whose name the STAR is withholding, however, said that patrolling police officers in the city can rarely be seen, especially near commercial centers and along major roads.

“By 1 to 3 p.m. you won't see them anymore. Their work is really lax. I know some of them who use that time for their ‘rackets',” the driver, who plies the Punta Taytay-Central Market route, said.

He also admitted to bribing traffic enforcers to get passengers even in non-designated areas, and said that there were numerous times when thieves snatched his passengers' cellphones, but the robbers escaped because no police officer was in sight to help them.

Susan, an egg vendor at the Bacolod Central Market, however, said that patrolling officers have helped deter crimes there.

Although uniformed officers on police vehicles don't regularly pass by her area at Gatuslao Street , Susan said civilian-clad cops roam around the market and recently arrested three snatchers who grabbed valuables from customers at a clothing shop.

Police records showed that most snatching, bag-slashing, and “pickpocketing” incidents happen at the downtown area, the Lacson Street stretch, and along Burgos Street .

The items commonly stolen are cellphones, wallets, and vehicle parts such as batteries and stereo sets, police records showed.

Although three suspected robbers were arrested last week, Quebrar also said that their companions are still at large and may still be staging robberies.

FIELD TRAINEES

Police Station 2 commander, Inspector Rie Gumban, on the other hand, said although 10 field trainees have been assigned to his precinct to take turns in patrol, intelligence, investigation, traffic management, and community relations duties, not all of them comply with the requirements.

“I'm always telling them to work with the senior officers to learn police work. Some are diligent but some are not. It's up to them, I'll be grading them later, anyway,” Gumban said.

PO1 Ralph Alejandro, one of the officers assigned at Police Station 2, said that they are required to go to the streets and help manage traffic or do patrol rounds at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. everyday.

He also said, however, that patrol rounds depend on when the station's senior officers decide to roam around their area, using their vehicle.

PO1 Samuel Bitoon, who is detailed at Police Station 1, meanwhile, said that street crimes still happen even when they patrol near public places because thieves just wait for them to pass by or leave their posts before they strike and added that there are few police officers.

Another officer in the station, PO2 Rhanie Songaling, also said “We cannot promise that there would be no snatchings or robberies because thieves have many ‘strategies' and some people are also careless with their belongings.”

Quebrar had said that the BCPO has around 400 officers assigned in offices, the city's 10 police stations, and the Bacolod City Hall.*PP

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