PPOC resolves to ask PNP

Green light on add’l PMFC

TAGBILARAN CITY, Nov 6 (PIA)—Bohol Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) approved a resolution asking the Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7) for the go signal on the creation of an additional Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) to provide support and manpower to municipal police stations in times of operational emergencies and other dire events.

The proposal came from the local police authorities, as presented by the operations officer of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Francisco Dagohoy.

During the recent joint meeting of the Provincial Anti- Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) and the PPOC, Camp Dagohoy, the provincial police office base, through Police Major Christopher Ras Fernandez said the move has something to do with filling in the vacuum after the relocation of the 62nd Special Action Company (SAC) of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) to Bayawan City in Negros Oriental.

In may be recalled that last January 18, 2023, the 62nd SAC PNP SAF, which was formerly based in Purok 2 Cambaol, Alicia Bohol, was transferred to Negros.

This is further complicated with the pull-out of the 47th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army from its base camp in Katipunan Carmen, to Negros Oriental, that at present only a skeletal force is left to man the Camp in Carmen as it is dependent on its main unit in Negros island.

This leaves the local police force in need of numbers especially with the armed encounters which the police force figured in its lingering fight with the insurgents.

Last February 23, 2024, in its final push to serve a warrant to Bohol’s top leader of the New People’s Army, a police officer was killed in action and another one was wounded in action leading to his early retirement from the force.

In April 11, 2017, in a joint operation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, one member of the PNP Special Weapons and tactics died along with three more troops from the AFP, before they could neutralize the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, which had its incursion in Bohol.

There were also several police officers who figured out in accidents while driving motorcycles to and from work.

Besides, Major Fernandez said, in consonance with the PNP memorandum circular No 2017-063, it provides that each Provincial Police Office are authorized to maintain one to two PMFCs.

The camp Dagohoy Official said the creation of an additional PMFC can provide support of manpower of the MPS in times of operational emergencies.

Should the police regional office give the green light for the additional units here, such a company-strong unit can be deployed in the opposite side of Bohol, preferably somewhere in the mountain boundaries of Valencia, Garcia Hernandez and Jagna, according to the official.

He said that a PPOC resolution for the creation of another PMFC is among the requirements which the BPPO has to comply to formalize the set-up.

To this, the PPOC Chairman Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado who has been supportive of the PNP and its maintenance of the current peace and order situation here, said any help that Bohol can get in bolstering its stance against the re-entry of the insurgents, is always welcome.

In recent years, with the active NPAs thinning its ranks with the surrender of most of its active members, the armed insurgents decided to leave Bohol, upon finding that their former communities are now united in keeping Bohol off insurgency. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)

SPECIAL ACTION. Camp Dagohoy Operations Chief Police Major Christopher Fernandez revealed to the PPOC camp Dagohoy’s intention of creating another Police Mobile Force Company to complement the first company that is now left to man Bohol’s internal security with the pull out of the 47IB from Carmen to Negros Island. (PIABohol)