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--excerpt from the 2004 Accomplishment Report of Bohol Governor Erico Aumentado

The Provincial Peace and Order Council, the 302nd Infantry Brigade and the different units under it, and the Bohol Police Provincial Office registered major accomplishments in the PPOC Peace and Development Program.

            On top of internal security operations (ISO), the military conducted Special Operations Team (SOT) activities that identified and implemented 33 small impact projects like installation of jetmatic pumps, laying out of pipes, construction or renovation of barangay halls or day care centers, construction of perimeter fences, comfort rooms, basketball goals and the like. The SOT also recruited civilian volunteers and organized them, established barangay information networks that led to the surrender of 219 communist insurgents and three of their high-and 20 low-powered firearms, as well as 88 other loose firearms surrendered by civilians. From a high on 283 in 2001, the armed insurgents now number about 64.

Under its civil-military operations (CMO), the brigade joined  the PPOC in 20 civic actions or CIVACs with 12,422 beneficiaries; conducted 195 barangay dialogs, hosted a radio program over DYTR, conducted film showings, facilitated and monitored Kalahi projects in 15 conflict areas as well as Kalahi-CIDSS Rural projects in 813 barangays.

            On the other hand, the Engineer Support Battalion of the Army’s 53rd Engineer Brigade opened the Dagohoy to Carahan farm to market road (FMR) for only P300,000; rehabilitated the Sikatuna-Sevilla-Bilar road, Bilar section at P1.2 million; improved the Cangawa-Cantuba FMR at P185,000 and rehabilitated the Cangawa-Cantuba-Baluarte-Lubang road at P370,000all funded by the Provincial Government with LGU counterpart.

            Meanwhile, the Bohol police report a downward crime trend although the average index monthly crime rate registered a very minimal increase. Index crime or crimes against persons, property and chastity totaled 559 but 421 were solved, hence, an increased crime solution efficiency rating compared to last year’s figures.

            The police support the military’s ISO, and figured in the Lila encounter that resulted to the capture of two suspected communist insurgents, one M-16 Armalite rifle and a .38 caliber revolver. With the Army troopers that encountered the NPAs in Sohoton, Calape, the police helped recovered a caliber .45 pistol and a fragmentation grenade even as two NPAs surrendered to the police.

            On the PNP flagship programs, the police apprehended 100 persons and filed 69 cases for illegal drugs, arrested 103 gamblers and filed 33 cases; served 401 out of 433 warrants of arrests, arrested 50 persons for possession of loose firearms resulting to 59 firearms confiscated, seven surrendered and 11 recovered.

            They apprehended 430 persons for illegal fishing, 15 persons for violating Presidential Decree 105 or the Forestry Law, five persons for carnapping, and one for cattle rustling. In the process, nine motorcycles and two large cattle were recovered.

            Under police-community relations, they participated in CIVACs, conducted Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns on crime prevention, and anti drug abuse, among others and established 100% the children’s and women’s desk all over the province.

            Largely with the help of the provincial government, the police installed computers in all police stations for the Provincial-Municipal Police Information and Communication System. With allocations of P585,000 and P150,000 from the province, the brigade and the police helped renovate the Area Coordination Center, and constructed the crime laboratory, respectively, both inside Camp Dagohoy.

            In the course of doing their duty, policemen sometimes get charged, thus the Legal Assistance for Effective Law Enforcement Program (LAELEP) was born. This year, the province allocated a total of P450,000 for the program. The police and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Bohol chapter raised amounts and donated legal services. The program helps defray litigation expenses, posting of bail bond and for the continuing legal education of the policemen.

            For its outstanding performance, the Bohol PPOC was awarded the best Provincial peace and Order Council (Provincial Category) award and the 2004 Lakbay Kontra Droga Award by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

            In Bohol’s march towards progress, the Provincial Government has combined effectively the strategies for peace and development.

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