Negros oriental: Police authorities in Negros Oriental are set to account for foreign nationals residing in the province as part of efforts to strengthen security and monitoring following the recent killings of two American nationals.
According to Philippines News Agency, Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) and concurrent chief of the Provincial Tourist Police Unit, stated on Thursday that Dauin Mayor Galicano Truita had requested the local police to conduct an inventory of foreign nationals living in the town. Dauin is recognized as the province's premier tourism hub, hosting a significant number of foreign residents and visitors.
Polinar mentioned during a press briefing that the NOrPPO is also coordinating with the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) to obtain a list of foreign nationals in the province who hold Special Resident Retiree's Visas (SRRV). "The database would help police identify foreign nationals, their addresses, and other vital information for security and investigative purposes while ensuring that their privacy is protected," he said. This information could aid future police investigations, particularly in cases involving crimes or missing foreign nationals, he added.
He further noted that police could conduct regular visits to monitor them and encouraged foreigners to consider installing security cameras in their homes, if possible. The initiative comes in the wake of the recent killings of two American nationals in Negros Oriental - an American male and his Filipina wife - who were found dead in their home in Barangay Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City.
Meanwhile, Polinar revealed that the newly assigned acting provincial police director, Brig. Gen. Jonathan Abella, is advocating for greater utilization of barangay tanods (village watchmen) and members of the Barangay Intelligence Network to supplement police personnel in the province. Polinar emphasized the importance of these 'force multipliers' amid a shortage of uniformed personnel, which has affected the police-to-population ratio, especially in Dumaguete City.
He explained that during the day, the city's ratio is about one police officer for every 2,500 people, far exceeding the ideal or recommended ratio. Barangay-based security personnel could act as 'first responders,' capable of immediately proceeding to crime scenes, maintaining peace and order, and assisting in emergencies while awaiting the arrival of regular police personnel. He added that strengthening coordination between the police and barangay-based personnel would improve the province's response to criminal incidents and enhance the safety of residents and foreign nationals.
