Bohol top cop bares new

anticrime marching order

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, September 7 (PIA)—Bohol police under newly assigned police chief, Police Colonel Jonathan Cabal have three priority marching orders from the governor, ones which could define crime prevention as well as bring Bohol to a new level in peace and security for investments to thrive.

Speaking at the Kapihan Sa PIA commemorating Crime Prevention Week, Colonel Cabal who just took the top seat of the Bohol Provincial Police Station weeks ago said the governor wanted police to intensify intelligence operations, secure tourism spots and intensify the campaign against illegal drugs.

Cabal, who had a successful stint as the director for Regional Intelligence Division decorated by the neutralization of the Abu Sayyaf terrorists who tried getting their lucrative terroristic activities to Bohol, said he supports the governor considering that police work starts and ends in intelligence.

Col Cabal was Regional Logistics chief before he assumed the Bohol post.

On the matter of tourism and securing tourism spots, Cabal said there would be changes in the Bohol Tourist Police set-up.

He said, in his administration, he wants all men doing what they do best: police work.

He noticed that those assigned at the Tourist Police Units are somewhat “underutilized” and are shaking off investigation work, which has the police at the losing end of the pole.

We have ample tourist police, we have audited their performance; how they go about their activities, Cabal said.

But stagnation within the ranks of the tourist police may have hit the new police director.

Every four years, police have to go to another station, he bared the tour of duty tradition of the force, a hint to the possible change in the assignments for police assigned for tourist security. 

“There will be changes,” he promised even as a new head of the Tourist Police Unit sits now in Lieutenant Colonel Ismael Gaona with the former head, Lt. Col Resti Santos on Mandatory Officers’ Executive Course.

Over a year into intensive anti-drug operations, the Bohol police still sees a steep battle ahead with the increasing bulk of haul from the streets.

And while the governor has put on the police mission boards an intensified anti-drugs operation, not long after, police authorities in joint operations with narcotics agents stormed on a house in Clarin and shot it out with drug suspects, two of whom died, during the heat of shooting exchange.

Among those who were nabbed were two minors who were used as drug couriers by the drug syndicates, Col. Cabal said.  

Among the suspects were also two who were drug suspects who were out following a plea bargain arrangement.

Asked how the police are taking the offered plea bargaining for drug offenders so they stay out of jails when they plead to a lesser crime, Cabal has a mouthful.

“Statistics-wise, most if not all of those nabbed [in recent times] are repeat offenders who go in and out of prison, grantees of the plea bargaining agreement,” he said.

He pointed out the scant opportunities for rehabilitation, that when these people are out of jail and meet the same company, the chances are high they slide back to the same offenses.

Over the theory that most of the recent crimes are drug-related, City Police Chief Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Navida ascribed the significant increase in crimes in the second quarter of 2019, crimes like robbery and hold-up are committed by previously arrested illegal drugs offenders.

But while the police are having their hands full, authorities are now trying to get more of the community working for lessened criminality.

The 25th Crime Prevention Week theme sates: Buhay pahalagahan, Komunidad magtulungan, Krimen hadlangan. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)