By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Police Regional Office-18 (PRO-18) spokesperson Police Senior Inspector Armilyn Vargas said the regional police force is mulling the establishment of its own cyber crime unit.
During a phone interview yesterday afternoon, Vargas said they are finding it difficult to solve any internet-related crimes in the Negros Island Region (NIR) due to the lack of its own cyber crime unit.
She stressed, every time they have to make a cyber crime-related raid in the region, they have to ask the units from Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7) in Cebu City or Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) in Iloilo City to conduct the operation.
Vargas explained the process is complicated as the unit’s mother unit will have to shoulder all the expenses for the operatives.
“If we have our own cyber crime unit, then it’s not only the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) who will benefit from it, but the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) and the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) as well,” Vargas said.
Vargas also said they fully support the recommendation of BCPO acting director Police Senior Supt. Jack Wanky for a cyber crime unit, adding they are monitoring a rising number of internet-related crimes in the NIR.
Wanky earlier stated he will make a recommendation to form a cyber crime unit for the BCPO, which he explained will be passed by PRO-18 to the national headquarters in Camp Crame, where the higher ups would make the decision.
The plan to form the unit stemmed following a recent raid on a cyber sex den in Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City./WDJ