Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, April 17, that the dumping of severed body parts in Bacolod City has become alarming that is why he is calling for the immediate appointment of a new city police director to address the problem.
A severed right hand of an unidentified victim with a note bearing the name of policeman was found at Purok Riverside, Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, at 9:45 a.m. Monday.
The hand was placed in a transparent plastic bag with a message printed on a bond paper.
The message said: “Anthony ‘Tata’ Vistar pusher protector kawatan!!!Pang holdup imo ubra!!! Bulang pamore ah!!!”
PCapt. Francis Depasucat, Police Station 5 commander, said PSSgt. Anthony Vistar is not involved in illegal drugs and gambling.
In fact is he is a hardworking member of the Police Station 5 intelligence unit who has aggressively gone after those engaged in illegal drugs and gambling, Depasucat said.
Depasucat believes it could be the work of criminal elements angry at the police operative.
Severed hands submerged in beef broth were also found in Barangay Banago on January 25 and feet were dumped in Barangay Villamonte on March 29.
Whether the mutilation of the body parts happened outside of Bacolod or not, the fact that body parts have been left in the city is alarming, Benitez said.
Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, Bacolod police director, is set to retire.
Benitez said he sent a message to Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. Monday asking him to hasten the appointment of a new Bacolod police director “so we can work together and faster”.
“The next city police director will have to be efficient and thorough with experience on how to discipline our police force and make sure we get results,” Benitez said.
The mayor said he wants a results-oriented city police director who does not take things lightly.
“We can talk as much as we want but at the end of the day we need results,” he said.
Martir seems to be in retirement mode that is why the city needs a new police director now, Benitez said.
A list of five recommended police directors have been submitted to him and he had made his choice, Benitez said.*