BACOLOD CITY—Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Sunday (Feb. 7) met with three Catholic bishops on Negros Island who have been calling for an end to extrajudicial killings.
In a statement, the PNP said Sinas’ meeting with the Church leaders was just for exploratory talks on “areas of mutual cooperation.”
The PNP said the meeting was to search for areas of cooperation between the Church on the island and police on security and moral or spiritual dimensions of peacekeeping, law and order, justice and human rights.
Among those who met with Sinas were Bishops Patricio Buzon of Bacolod, Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos and Louie Galbines of Kabankalan who have been calling for an end to extra judicial killings on Negros Island.
“The meeting has led to forward-looking, stronger bilateral relations between the top leadership of the PNP and the Church leaders in Negros Occidental and Oriental,” the PNP said.
The PNP chief and bishops agreed to hold another meeting this month, which could be a prelude to a series of meetings in the future with details to be determined by the two parties.
The Sunday visit to the Bishop’s House was the main reason for Sinas’ presence in Bacolod.
Buzon expressed gratitude and appreciation to Sinas for the visit, saying the PNP chief showed humility and readiness to work with the Church.
The PNP statement quoted Sinas as welcoming the bishop’s willingness to communicate with police.
“The Catholic Church provides one of the strongest pillars of support to the PNP in its selfless desire to serve and protect the community,” Sinas said in the PNP statement.