The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) said April 15 that it has solved nine shooting incidents this year, citing the “best efforts” of investigators and crime solution personnel.
Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, NOrPPO spokesperson, told the Philippine News Agency that 20 shooting incidents have been recorded across the province from January 1 to the present.
Of the total cases, nine have been resolved, five have been cleared, and six remain under investigation.
“A shooting incident is considered solved by the police if the suspect has been identified and arrested, and a case is filed in court,” Polinar explained.
He clarified that a crime is considered cleared when the suspect has been identified but remains at large, and a formal complaint has been lodged.
For cases still under investigation, law enforcement must identify a suspect or person of interest, though investigators still require additional evidence to link them to the crime.
Polinar noted that a major challenge in crime investigation is the lack of witnesses, or individuals who refuse to testify due to fear of retaliation.
NOrPPO said majority of the shootings were motivated by personal grudges, while a small number were linked to the illegal drug trade.
Investigators are currently looking deeper into the recent fatal shooting of a man from Bacong town. The victim, a suspected drug pusher recently released from jail, was shot dead by unidentified perpetrators. ||
