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.
Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson for the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO) and concurrent chief of the Provincial Tourist Police Unit, said Sept. 10 that Dauin Mayor Galicano Truita had requested that the local police conduct an inventory of foreign nationals living in the town.
Dauin is considered the province’s premier tourism hub and hosts a large number of foreign residents and visitors.
Polinar said at 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.
The information could help future police investigations, particularly in cases involving crimes or missing foreign nationals, he added.
Polinar said police can conduct regular visits to monitor them and encouraged foreigners to consider installing security cameras in their homes, if possible.
The initiative comes amid 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 said the newly-assigned acting provincial police director, Brig. Gen. Jonathan Abella, is pushing for greater utilization of tanods (village watchmen) and members of the Barangay Intelligence Network to augment police personnel in the province.
Polinar highlighted the role of these “force multipliers” amid the shortage of uniformed personnel, which affected the police-to-population ratio, particularly in Dumaguete City.
During the day, he said the city’s ratio is about one police officer for every 2,500 people, far beyond the ideal or recommended ratio.
Barangay-based security personnel could serve as “first responders” who can immediately proceed to crime scenes, maintain peace and order, and assist in emergencies while awaiting the arrival of regular police personnel, Polinar said.
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. | PNA
