BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan expressed his disappointment over the failure of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) to solve the series of killings that transpired in the different parts of the city after the present administration embarked on an aggressive anti-drug campaign.
The local chief executive admitted some individuals and groups are taking advantage of the government’s anti-drug campaign to get back at their alleged competitors in the drug business or for other reasons only known to them.
“The recent killings in the city is one of the negative effects and downside of the government’s anti-drug campaign and law enforcers must pinpoint the motives of the murder of certain individuals in the guise of them being alleged drug pushers or users. We are disappointed over the failure of our local police force to come out with timely findings on the motive behind the series of killings,”Domogan stressed.
Earlier, concerned residents expressed alarm over the series of killings around the city where one of the victims was even beheaded right inside his residence.
Domogan pointed out the relief of the BCPO chief does not solve this series of killings but a close coordination among concerned law enforcers to go after the perpetrators.
He requested the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Regional Intelligence Office to help the BCPO identify the killers and ascertain their motives behind such incidents and prevent the occurrence of similar incidents.
He urged the BCPO to intensify its intelligence network to address threats to the city’s peace and order and erase the impression that nothing is being done to solve these killings.
He claimed no one has the monopoly of skills and knowledge in solving crimes thus it is best to have closer coordination among law enforcers to solve the crimes to prevent conclusions that the killings are extra-judicial killings due to the cleansing process among those involved in the illegal drug trade.
He said the local police force must present concrete findings on the motive behind the killings to help abate the fear among local residents of the presence of vigilantes in the cityaffecting the image of the police and the city as a whole from the various sectors./By Dexter A. See
