Malapascua chieftain says no to more tourist police

Association of Barangay Councils of Daanbantayan president Rex Novabos has opposed the proposal of the Cebu Provincial Police Office to deploy more tourist policemen in his barangay Logon, known as the Malapascua Island.

During the last meeting of the Malapascua Island Eco-Tourism Development Plan Task Force, the CPPO has proposed to have at least 20 personnel who will compose the Malapascua Island Tourists Protection Unit.

But Novabos lamented during the meeting that as the barangay captain of Malapascua Island, he finds no need to deploy more uniformed policemen in the area otherwise the place will look like a garrison.

He said that as of now, he has enough numbers of barangay tanods, civilian tourist guards and the barangay intelligence network members who patrol the island.

What is needed is to have at least one policeman to go with each team since his men have no firearms against criminals, he added. As of now, CPPO has four personnel detailed at Malapascua Island.

The provincial police had requested Gov. Gwen Garcia to provide them with permanent headquarters, budget, gasoline, intelligence funds, computer and communication equipment, as well as training of police personnel as tourist policemen.

But Novabos said the four existing police personnel are enough to lead the four teams of civilian volunteers in patrolling the area for 24 hours.  — Gregg M. Rubio/LPM