By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The commanding officers of Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) vowed to eliminate the ‘fear of crime’ syndrome in Bacolod City, a result of an increased number of hold-up incidents in the city last September.

PRO-6 spokesperson, Police Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, told reporters some of the police officers who were assigned to the city last month for the MassKara Festival and the arrival of President Duterte are staying to augment the local police force.

He said this was intended to heighten police visibility and “make Bacoleños feel that they [are] safe.”

“We have to erase the fear of crime,” Gorero said, who was in the city for the Philippine National Police (PNP) interfaith activity, held yesterday at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) headquarters in Camp Alfredo Montelibano, Sr., Barangay Estefania.

He noted, for now, criminal incidents, like hold-up robberies, have reduced in the city.

Gorero said the augmented police force will stay as long as the situation warrants it./DGB, WDJ