“The medium is the message,” said Gov. Edgar M. Chatto during the blessing and inauguration of the new PNP building and stage at Camp Dagohoy Thursday led by PNP Provincial Director PSSUPT Constantino Barot, Jr. This simply means, the governor said, that a person’s mere presence in any given occasion is the strongest implication that he or she supports whatever causes a person or organization is doing or fighting for. “The Provincial Government will always be supportive to our PNP. We cannot achieve the goals and development for Bohol without each other’s support,” Chatto said. Also giving credence to the occasion was the presence of First District Representative Cong. Rene Relampagos who was instrumental for the renovation of the camp’s stage situated right at the center of the PNP compound.

PNP officers and men from the regional office were also in attendance led by PSSUPT Orlando Ualat, the Deputy Regional Director for Operation for PRO7, and PSSUPT Petronelli Baldebrin, the City Director of Mandaue City Police Office, with all the Chiefs of Police of Bohol. Gov. Chatto gladly pointed out the fact that the blessing of the new facilities at Camp Dagohoy will “show the people that PNP-Bohol and the Provincial Government are working hand-in-hand for the security and peace and order of the province.” “The message we are trying to convey is that we have a strong collaboration with all PNP elements in the province led by Col. Barot,” the governor stated further. Earlier, Gov. Chatto asked Col. Barot to submit to his office a summary report about a series of incidents with a total of 77 cases that took place in some towns in Bohol, specifically from January to April, or during the first and second quarter of this year.

Gov. Chatto has keenly observed that “those incidents happened during the election campaign period and we are closely monitoring the development;” and also, “we are not only looking at the crime volume but more so at the crime solution.” The governor admits though that even with the people’s vigilance, still, police presence at strategic locations continues to remain the major deterrent of the commission of crimes of ill elements in our community. However, and despite these factors, Gov. Chatto acknowledges the fact that PNP-Bohol did a job very well done with the leadership and able hand of Col. Barot during his entire stint in the province; and the governor gave his word that all the command’s great works and good deeds will be duly recognized and commended by the Provincial Government, also giving due merit to all PNP-Bohol personnel, individually. Gov. Chatto then informed everyone that sooner, the Provincial Government, under the helm of the Chatto-Lim tandem would be closely monitoring all of its LGUs by using the score card system very much similar to those used by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Health (DOH).

“We would appreciate it very much if the local Chiefs of Police could remind their town mayors to hold regular meetings of their Municipal Peace and Order Councils (MPOCs). Through these score cards, we would be able to know which towns and mayors are holding their regular MPOC meetings. If there would be those who won’t be following our directive, then, we will consult remedies under the law as the supervisory authority over all towns in Bohol.” Gov. Chatto profusely thanked Col. Barot for all his support to the Provincial Government where the latter’s leadership has marked a very strong collaboration with the Provincial Government and other law enforcement agencies and commended the PNP Provincial Director for higher positions. (jlv/EDCom)