CEBU CITY, March 21 -- The newly assumed chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7) said ridding the four provinces in the region of private armed groups is his top priority amid the recent violent incident in Negros Oriental province.

Brigadier General Anthony Aberin took over the helm as the region's top police officer as the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines' intensified efforts to arrest the killers of Governor Roel Degamo and eight others and put behind bars the mastermind of the gruesome shooting incident.

Replacing Brigadier General Gerry Bearis who assumed the post on Dec. 10, 2022, Aberin is now on top of the manhunt operations against the remaining suspects in the killing of Degamo...