By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Amid the ongoing violence that is plaguing Negros Oriental, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director-General Oscar Albayalde yesterday ordered Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) director, Police Colonel Raul Tacaca, relieved of duty. According to PNP spokesperson, Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, the decision was made in order to give way to an impartial probe.
Banac said the current situation reveals possible lapses within Tacaca’s administration and said the PNP Investigation and Detective Management will be leading an investigation into the killings.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement spokesperson said Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7) director, Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, was given authority to designate an officer-in-charge for NOrPPO and has since appointed PRO-7 deputy operations director, Police Colonel Angelito Dumangeng, to the post.
Earlier, Albayalde assured there will be no declaration of Martial Law in Negros Oriental despite recent events, adding, more than 300 members of the PNP Special Action Force are being deployed to the province as an augmentation force./DGB, WDJ