By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

“Is Bacolod City becoming unsafe?” This is the question that is becoming viral on social media after the city recorded a total of seven shooting incidents just this month of June.

Earlier on Thursday, June 16, 54-year-old Adonis Matulac was shot dead along Lacson Extension, Purok Hollow Blocks in the city’s Barangay Singcang-Airport.

The incident was then followed 24 hours later in the city’s Purok Langis in Barangay Banago. A man only identified by his aliases “Bryan/Drey” was also shot dead while he was inside a computer shop.

Both incidents were suspected as being “drug-related.”

Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) should step up its game by intensifying police visibility in the city.

Meanwhile, Atty. Lyzander “Bong” Dilag, spokesperson of Mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, stated the incoming administration is committed to strengthen the city’s police capabilities.

“We take this occasion to reiterate and accord our trust and confidence in our police force in the performance of their duties especially in the maintenance of the peace and order,” Dilag said as he read the statement of Benitez.

Among the promises made by Benitez for the BCPO include additional force multipliers for the BCPO’s police stations, as well as strengthening their logistical capabilities by providing them with the fuel they need to conduct patrols and quickly respond to incidents.

Police Regional Office 6 spokesperson, Police Lt. Colonel Ariel Solis, meanwhile, said the regional director, Police Brigadier General Flynn Dongbo, has ordered the BCPO to thoroughly investigate the series of shooting incidents in the city.

Dongbo seemed to demand results from the BCPO by ordering them to pursue and arrest the perpetrators and making sure that the criminal cases against them are “airtight.”/DGB, WDJ