• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The Bacolod City government and police are tightening security measures at the public plaza following an alleged daytime robbery.
The alleged victim, a woman, took to social media and recounted her experience of being cornered by three unidentified individuals in the plaza around noon of June 14.
She claimed that the three persons physically assaulted her, pulled her hair, and forcibly took her watch and personal belongings, before a passing couple came to her rescue.
“This one woman was pulling my hair and asking me if I had drugs. I was crying and telling them I don’t (have), one of them scratched my hand,” the victim said.
In response, City Administrator, Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, convened a coordination meeting June 17 with the alleged victim, and representatives from the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO), the General Services Office, the City Legal Office (CLO), the plaza’s private security agency, and Police Station 1 commander, P/Major Rondyl Tapang.
Mayo said the alleged victim provided a detailed account of the incident and has committed to file a formal police report at Police Station 1 to facilitate an intensified investigation.
Meanwhile, Tapang noted that, based on an initial inquiry, no one among the 10 personnel on duty at the time of the alleged incident, consisting of two security guards, four POSO officers, and four CLO personnel, as well as organized local transport barkers, witnessed or knew of the incident.
“The case is under investigation,” Tapang said, adding that authorities are gathering the affidavits of all duty personnel and will review CCTV footage around the area.
Mayo said the city will impose stricter security within the park.
Personnel will clear mendicants, and will strictly penalize violations, such as public smoking and walking around without shirts. | TMD
