By ARDY ARANETA-BATOY
Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) director, Colonel Lorenzo Batuan, outlined his vision for a safer and more peaceful Bohol during a radio interview.
In an interview with Ardy Araneta-Batoy over DYTR, Col. Batuan emphasized community involvement, love, and education as cornerstones of his policing approach.
Batuan said he was grateful for the support of all the peace and security stakeholders in Bohol, especially the provincial governor, the local chief executives, the media and the community.
He said his main goal was to uphold the mission statement of the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is to enforce the law, prevent and control crimes, maintain peace and order, and ensure public safety and internal security with the active support of the community.
Peacekeeping is not just the job of the police, but a shared responsibility of the police with the people and the local government officials, Batuan said during the interview.
He said he was proud of the achievements of the BPPO in the campaign against illegal drugs, illegal gambling, wanted persons and loose firearms.
He said he also planned to increase police visibility, conduct regular checkpoints and beat patrol operations, and inspect the organizational structure of the BPPO to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
The BPPO director said he had not received any information indicating that any of his personnel were involved in illegal activities.
According to PD Batuan, he is willing to submit to any investigation or evaluation as part of the cleansing of the PNP’s ranks.
Meanwhile, Batoy thanked Batuan for his time and service, and expressed her admiration and respect for him.
The radio host said she felt like she missed her father, who had the same food taste, birthday and personality as Batuan.
She also said she remembered Batuan as the operation officer of the BPPO for around six years, who was always there to report the data on the number of deaths and other incidents.
She said she is fortunate to have him as a close friend, and wished him all the best in his endeavors.
The radio host also highlighted the difference she saw in Batuan’s leadership, which involved the community in various programs and projects.
Ardy Batoy said Batuan is generous in giving support to the youth, the children, the schools and the families.
She described the PNP PD a hero in his own way, and coined the term Sir LAB to describe Batuan.
LAB stands for Lorenzo Alfeche Batuan, but also sounds like love, which is what he spreads in the province.
Meanwhile, Police LtCol Norman Nuez, BPPO spokeperson, also spoke about the programs that the BPPO initiated under Batuan’s command, such as giving food packs to those who were affected by the earthquake, the typhoon or the loss of their homes.
Nuez said the police are always there to help those in need, not only to provide security and enforce the law.
One of the programs that Batuan created was the LAB project, which aimed to provide housing for the poor and homeless in the province.
The project is a convergence program between the village, the police, the church and the community, Nuez told DYTR during the same interview.
On this note, Col. Batuan said he is thankful to those who supported the project financially, such as Nuez and other friends, and to the provincial governor, Aris Aumentado, who gave 12 houses to the project last year. He said the houses were built through volunteerism and cooperation of the police and the community.
The radio host was impressed by the LAB project and asked who really built the houses.
Batuan said it was a collective effort of the governor, the police, the willing individuals and the volunteers.
The project is a testament of the peace and love in the province, the BPPO director said.
He said he hoped to continue the project and help more people in need.
Batuan said the budget for materials was 80,000 pesos per house, and the size was about 70 to 85 square meters.
Noting that the houses were decent and comfortable for the beneficiaries, Batuan said he was happy to see the smiles on their faces when they received the keys to their new homes.
Drug Problem in Bohol
The Camp Dagohoy officials have revealed that the police are being supported by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in their supply reduction effort, which involved monitoring and arresting those who are involved in illegal drugs.
Batuan said that the main problem was the desire or intent to use drugs, which was influenced by many factors such as lost family values, teenage pregnancies and lack of education.
He said that the police also have a demand reduction strategy, which involved educating the youth and the community about the dangers of drugs.
“We hope to reduce the demand for drugs by spreading love and peace in the province,” said Col. Batuan.
Meanwhile, Nuez said that the police to population ratio in Bohol was 1 to 1000-1200, which meant that one policeman had to guard more than a thousand people.
He said that it was difficult to control the intent or desire of people, which was the first breeding ground of crime.
He said that the police’s approach to anti-criminality was multi-agency, which meant that they needed the cooperation and support of other sectors such as the local government, the media and the public.
Batuan thanked the host and the listeners for the opportunity to be with them in the program.
He said he felt honored to be the provincial director of Bohol, a province where he was born and raised.
He also said he felt nostalgic because he had served in Bohol for about 12 to 13 years before being reassigned to other places such as Cebu, Lapu-Lapu City and Manila. He returned to Bohol in October 2022 and has been in office for one year and four months.
The radio program ended with a positive note and a message of gratitude from Batuan and Nuez to the host, the listeners and the people of Bohol.
They said they would continue to serve and protect the province with love and dedication.