The Bohol Police Provincial Office assured the public of widened police visibility until the New Year’s revelry subsides to ensure peace and order in entire province.
It had been a while already when police officers are seen roving the streets, but Police Provincial Director Felipe Natividad makes sure they would be around this time.
Police personnel have been up since Friday to monitor any incident of indiscriminate firing as the people met the New Year this dawn.
Natividad relayed the instruction of PNP Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa’s directive on illegal discharge of firearms which added the latter labeled as the two additional commandments.
As directed by Dela Rosa, the “11th Commandment†is directed to gun owners and police officers since there has been no sealing of gun muzzles this time.
Natividad said the 11th Commandment added by Dela Rosa states: “Thou shalt not fire thy guns indiscriminately as it may hit, kill and injure thy neighbor!â€
The “12th Commandment†appeals to the cooperation of the public in the campaign against indiscriminate firing.
Dela Rosa stated it as “If thy neighbor fires his gun indiscriminately, thou shalt make sure to take photos and videos to be reported to the PNP and uploaded!”
Police Provincial Director Natividad said they will take action on these two new commandments and asks support from the public as well.
As also directed by Dela Rosa, Natividad disseminated the directives to all field and unit commanders and the populace through the social media and other means.
Natividad also deployed police personnel to patrol the streets during the revelry last night to patrol and arrest those who would insist of using their firearms.
The BPPO targets zero casualty from indiscriminate firing this time and also cleared the streets of illegal firecrackers that had been the main contributor to New Year’s revelry casualties in the past.
On the other hand, Natividad ordered all police units in Bohol to continue implementing tight security in their respective areas even after the holidays to intercept any individual linked to groups behind the recent bombings.
The BPPO also deployed teams, in tandem with the 47th Infantry Battalion stationed in Bohol under Lt. Col. Jose Dodjie Belloga Jr.
They conducted checkpoints in strategic areas to intercept any individual who might affect the peace and order of the province.
This is to secure the entire province in the light of the recent bombing in Hilongos, Leyte.
Natividad also ordered all chiefs of police in the province, especially those assigned in Ubay, Bien Unido, Talibon, President Carlos P. Garcia and other coastal towns facing Leyte, to be alert at all times.
He added that Bohol continues to be on full alert status since the bombing incident in Davao in September.
Considering the lack of police personnel, the police provincial director calls on the public to assist the police force in the security measures by providing information regarding suspicious individuals in their neighborhood.
Police officers are also deployed to areas of public convergence such as malls, bus terminals, seaports, and the airport.
Mall security teams also implement tight security measures and guards manning the entrance and passageway of vehicles checks all that come in for any explosive device.