Shabu lab eyed as quarters for summit security force

The compound of the controversial mega shabu laboratory in barangay Umapad, Mandaue City will soon be used as billeting area for police recruits who are part of the security force for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in December.

"Actually I had a talk with the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) pero they still need the confirmation from the court pero ideal kaayo ang compound sa Mega shabu kay duol kaayo sa second Mactan Bridge ug mga vital installation. Anyway dili man g'yud ta sa sud sa kadtong mga equipments sa mega shabu lab kun di kadtong bakanti nga bodega," Mandaue City Police Office director Eduardo Catabas said.

Catabas said the shabu laboratory's compound could accommodate up to 200 police recruits, adding that he was tasked by the regional police to take care of the over 100 police recruits who are set to arrive from Region 8 tomorrow.

Meantime, the MCPO yesterday solved the billeting problem of 96 police recruits who arrived in Cebu from Region 11 last week.

Catabas said he had convinced the priest of San Roque Church in Subangdaku, Mandaue City to have its gym used as temporary billeting area for the recruits. "My assurance to the parish priest is that the boys will behave properly and will maintain cleanliness in the area 24 hours a day."

Regional police director Silverio Alarcio said the problems encountered by the Field Training Program trainees on their accommodation were parts of their training.

Alarcio told reporters in Boljoon town last Sunday that those problems are minimal compared to other concerns pertaining to the summit's security preparations.

The police official explained that these police trainees are to be billeted in different barangays in Metro Cebu after their arrival. But since they will undergo a series of briefing about Cebu, they must temporarily stay at any available place.

Around 275 police trainees who were temporarily billeted on the second floor of the One Citilink Terminal complained about their bad accommodation. But according to Alarcio, being policemen, they must know how to handle this kind of problem.

"Sanay kami diyan, kahit saan kami dalhin pwede kami dyan, they are given accommodation, gusto yata ng iba airconditioned eh. Hindi problema iyan, meron tayong mas malalaking problema" Alarcio said.

The police trainees will be transferred during the summit to tent cities to be built near the areas where the delegates stay.

The regional police are planning to ask Camp Crame for additional P50 on top of the existing P90 food allowance for the trainees. Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier said he planned to give P1,000 allowance to the trainees.

Alarcio also said they would buy at least 5,000 short firearms for the summit security. About 1,200 additional police recruits are set to arrive in the Cebu in the coming days. - Ramil V. Ayuman and Edwin Ian Melecio