More than 150 more policemen arrived recently in Negros Occidental to beef up the 6th Regional Mobile Group, who are being prepared for their election-related duties.

This brought to 253 the number of new policemen dispatched in Negros Occidental this month from the Police Regional Office 6 in Iloilo City, police records show. Senior Supt. Pedro Merced, 6th RMG director, yesterday said it cannot be ascertained yet how many troopers will be downloaded from the 6th RMG to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial and Bacolod City Police Offices.

Another batch of 110 new policemen are presently undergoing an Internal Security Operation training supervised by the police Special Action Force, in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.

On the other hand, soldiers of the two Army infantry battalions and more than 2,000 militiamen in Negros island are also expected to assist the police in the maintenance of peace and order in the countryside.

Brig. Gen. Gregorio Fajardo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, however, said the military will no longer perform election-related duties, and will only be running after insurgents.

Merced, meanwhile, said they are now finalizing their investigation report on alleged maltreatment of a neophyte policeman allegedly by a police commissioned-officer and two other RMG troopers.

Senior Inspector Melvin de la Cruz, PO2 Noel Paderan and PO1 Alfonso Arriola are now in hot water for allegedly hitting PO1 Laurence Mangco with a "paddle" in different parts of his body, on March 9.

De la Cruz and two other RMG troopers who have been disarmed, are now restricted at Camp Aniceto Lacson in Victorias City.*GPB

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