The Public Order and Safety Management Office (POSMO) of Iloilo City was found ransacked in the morning of September 23, 2024.

The ironic incident which raised the question on how safe the safety office is from burglars was reported at around 7:30 a.m.

According to the police, the incident was reported by a staff member of POSMO when he reported for work at past 7 a.m. and found the office in disarray.

The police launched immediately an investigation.

Supplies, furniture, and equipment were found scattered inside the office at the third floor of the building, especially at the head's office. Pliers, coffee, and food items were seen scattered as well at the stairs on the second floor.

Based on the initial investigation of the Scene of the Crime Operatives, the perpetrators carted away a personal laptop and an office-issued laptop of POSMO Head JV Mabilog.

The two laptops are said to be worth approximately P65,000.

“Kapila na sila mag-agi-agi. Dira sila sa likod nga hagdanan nag-agi. Nakita nila siguro nga nami ang kwarto ni Sir JV kag amo to ang ila ginsulod. I think gingamitan bala sang ATM card or whatsoever kay kahapos (pagbukas) based sa information (Ilang beses na silang dumaan dyan. Dyan sa likuran ng hagdan dumaan. Nakita siguro nila na maganda yung silid ni Sir JV kaya yun ang kanilang pinasok. I think ginamitan ng ATM card or whatsoever kasi madali (ang pagbukas) based on information,” Captain Roque Gimeno III, chief of Iloilo City Police Station 1, said.

Police launched a hot pursuit operation on six persons of interest who are found to be minors. The six were identified when they took selfies using a POSMO-issued camera.

"Nag-selfie sa camera, ginpraktisan nila. And then siguro may nag-alarma sa ila kag amo to nga pagdalaganay nila pagwa, laptop lang ang nadala, nabilin mismo ang camera (Nag-selfie sa camera, pinagpraktisan nila. And then siguro may nag-alarma sa kanila kaya nang tumakbo palabas, laptop ang nadala, naiwan ang camera),” Cpt. Gimeno added.

Police are looking for footage in other parts of the office as the CCTV camera inside POSMO is out of order.

A laptop bag was found at the Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures Office adjacent to POSMO.

According to the employees, the laptop bag was not there on Friday, September 20, 2024, when they were on duty.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to focus tightly on the investigation in order to establish the identities of the thieves and facilitate their arrest.