By DAVE RESPONTE

The country’s top policeman was in Bohol yesterday to preside over the command conference of regions 6,7,8 to discuss details of the three Visayas areas crime volume while preparations are being made for the coming 2013 elections. Police Director Nicanor Bartolome of the Philippine National Police was at the head of the conference of police officials from the three Visayas regions. Senior Supt. Constantino Paul Barot, Jr., provincial police director, played host to the gathering of police generals and majors in this city.  While in Bohol, Director Bartolome assessed the situation in the Visayas as he presided over the police command conference of the three regions attended by all regional police directors held at Camp Dagohoy.  Director General Bartolome said that the scenario in the entire Visayas “is very encouraging” since the crime volume was in a downtrend with an increasing trend in crime solving efficiency of the policemen. But he gave no details or figures of the decrease in crime volume.

As he extended his congratulatory gesture to all PNP men in the Visayas for a job well done, he said there’s still a need to enhance the capability of the police in doing their work in the prevention and crime solving.  Bartolome gave the marching orders to the PNP command nationwide to be always visible “to cover every inch and corner” apparently as part of the crime prevention measure. He added that he even fielded those personnel in the administrative division to conduct patrol operations 24/7.  At the same, the top police official, told the local media yesterday that the command conference tackled the preparation for the national and local elections for next year even as the filing of certificate of candidacy is still in October yet. In Bohol, Camp Dagohoy will have a conference with agencies concerned to discuss the elections. A Camp’s source said that Supt. Barot has invited Comelec Provincial Supervisor lawyer Eliseo Labaria for a conference tomorrow.

During the same occasion, Bartolome personally pinned “Medalya ng Kagalingan” or the PNP Medal of Merit for the successful conduct of raid entrapment and rescue operation of the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force 7 which resulted in the arrest of two suspects engaged in human trafficking and the rescue of the 17 victims. The awardees were Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr. Regional Director, PRO 7 - Task Force Commander, Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force 7, Police Senior Superintendent Louie Oppus, Deputy Director for Operations PRO7- Deputy Task Force Commander, Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force 7, Police Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, City Director, Lapu-lapu City – Executive Officer, Regional Human Trafficking Task Force 7 and Police Senior Inspector Maria Theresa Macatangay, Regional Intelligence Division, PRO7,- Team Leader- Regional Human Trafficking Task Force 7.

A medal of merit was also awarded to BPPO for the meritorious achievement in the performance of duty for the successful arrest of Ricardo J. Tagsa, and Steven O. Pegad, responsible in the robbery/hold-up incident along the national road in barangay Boctol, Balilihan, Bohol last March 17, 2012. Bartolome pinned medals to Police Senior Supt. Barot, Chief Inspector Rene Kyamko, chief Bohol Criminal Investigation and Detection Team, Police Senior Inspector Gregorio Sanchez, Chief, Balilhan Police Station and SPO4 Bernardo Templa, Deputy Chief of Police, Balilihan Police Station. This is the third time PNP Director General Nicanor Bartolome and his first as the chief PNP of the Philippines visited the province. The first was in 1978 as cadets and when later he was a Chief Inspector in the national police. His Directorial Staff includes, Police Director Elpidio De Asis, Director for Personnel and Records Management, Police Director Ager Ontog Jr, Director for Intelligence, Police Director Samuel Diciano, Director for Operations, Police Director Alnulfo Perez, Director of Logistic and Regional Director PRO6 Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, Regional Director PRO7 Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr. Regional Director PRO8 Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria, Police Director Jaime Calungsod, DIPO-Visayas, Chief Superintendent Valiant De Guzman, Deputy Director-DIPO Visayas, and Chief Superintendent Henry Ranola Jr. EX-O, DIPO Visayas. (With reports from Ric Obedencio)