Tomas sends more cops to 2 mountain barangays

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has ordered the deployment of more policemen to at least two mountain barangays of the city, in response to reports that armed men have been sighted there the past several days.

The sightings were in barangays Buot-Taup and Sudlon I, and barangay officials there even said that there were similar instances as early as last month.

The mayor suspected however that these armed men might be "goons of a political candidate who will challenge the candidacy of a member of Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan."

This politician might have sent these men there to obtain support for his candidacy in the May 14 elections while harassing barangay officials and BO-PK supporters, said Osmeña.

Sudlon-I barangay captain Dante Tabucal earlier reported that five armed men on motorcycles were seen in his barangay last month and then this month, causing alarm to his constituents.

He added that these types of people are usually seen in his barangay during election periods.

Tabucal however would not attribute these men now to any political motive or linked them to politicians because they might just be passing by his barangay, which is an entry point to Toledo City.

Even then, Tabucal said it would be better not to be complacent so he requested for more policemen to be detailed to his barangay, possibly on a permanent basis.

There were four policemen assigned there in the past but two of them were already reassigned to the urban barangays since, Tabucal said.

In Buot-Taup, barangay officials reported that armed men were seen there last Monday night. The police had since then confirmed this report that was later relayed to Mayor Osmeña. The matter, however, was not recorded in the police blotter.

Aside from the deployment of policemen there, Osmeña also announced that additional police vehicles will be sent for patrolling the city's mountain barangays and responding to alarms.

Osmeña said that work has been done for the registration of ten vehicles that the Bureau of Customs donated to the city government for the purpose. - Wenna A. Berondo and Joeberth M. Ocao/RAE