NegOcc generally peaceful – PNP, Army

From the Philippine Information Agency (Sep 24): NegOcc generally peaceful – PNP, Army

The province of Negros Occidental remains peaceful.

In a briefing with the members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council during its 3rd Quarter meeting, the security forces here said that the province is generally peaceful.

This despite atrocities claimed by the New People’s Army (NPA), where the 303rd Infantry Brigade recorded 567 non-violent activities of the rebel group and 28 major combat operations for the first eight months of the year.

According to the 303rd Brigade, they are conducting information drives on Violent Extremism to prevent recruitment of the rebel groups as well as conducting Community Support Programs to 24 barangays in the province.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOcPPO) director PSSupt Rodolfo Castil, Jr. disclosed that the crime volume in Negros Occidental decreased by 66 percent compared to the same period last year.

According to Castil, the Eight Focus Crimes – murder, physical injury, motor napping, car napping, theft, robbery and rape decreased except for homicide.

Since January until August of this year, NOcPPo has intercepted, mostly through buy-bust operations, P83,359,440 worth of illegal drugs with 425 persons arrested and 725 cases filed.

“Negros Occidental is just a transshipment point of illegal drugs coming from Muntinlupa and Mindanao,” Castil added.

Most of these illegal substances are shipped in the ports of Calatrava, San Carlos and those from Cebu passes through Mabinay and Kabankalan that are being supplied not only in Negros Occidental but also in Panay, Castil added.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1012957