Visit to Bulacao, Talisay City set: FBI hopes to learn from brgy. tanods

CEBU – Believe it or not, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States of America is looking to learn from the tanods of barangay Bulacao, Talisay City.

The FBI is sending some people to observe how the barangay police implement the Closed Community System Program (CCSP), which is seen as a way to battle the rampant trafficking of organs.

This piece of good, albeit a bit surprising news, was relayed by Atty. Bernardo R. Calibo, regional director of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM).

Calibo said the problem on human trafficking particularly on the sale of human organs, is now becoming a concern among law enforcers of different countries.

The organs, with the kidneys as the most saleable item, are being sold to other Asian countries and even Europe and the United States.

Calibo, who has friends working with the United Nations, who he met while completing his Masters in Criminology in the US, gave them copies of a documentary on the CSSP.

“Very recently, we received from FBI they are sending over some men to observe, next month,” Calibo said.

The CSSP, Calibo said was piloted in barangay Bulacao, because of a “tanod” force that is already displaying effectiveness in skills and enthusiasm in curbing bad elements under the leadership of barangay captain Raul Cabañero.

Calibo said the barangay tanods were provided with training on law enforcement, investigation, fire fighting, first aid and a unique communication system that will ensure coordination and quick response.

Aside from that, the NAPOLCOM provided a new set of uniforms and equipment.

The CCSP, Calibo said, is like the way private subdivisions run their security system.

Cabañero for his part said, he had adopted the different systems from the military, police and even from the leftists.

Each and every person in the household is recorded in their barangay data system and even the visitors are logged including for how long they are staying.

The barangay tanods, Cabañero said, are quick to know of any stranger in the vicinity, anyone who is there for no purpose, is asked to leave cordially.

All the 2,300 households, Cabañero said, are equipped with a whistle which is very effective in immediately alarming the tanods posted at key locations.

Cabañero also inculcates values in his constant talks with the tanods and the importance of having God as the center of their lives.

He said he also adopted a technique he learned from the police and military, which is the hiring of somebody from the bad elements, who has turned a new leaf.

“Of course, it takes one to know one, I hire an ex thief to catch the thieves, I also ask help from an ex drug user and pusher to catch drug violators,” Cabañero said.

As a result, Cabañero said the reputation of barangay Bulacao as a the second primarey source of “shabu” in the city second to barangay Tangke, is now slowly changing.

“There were even law enforcers, who themselves were also violators who were also sternly warned by us. We really are serious, even if you are NBI, PDEA or whoever,” Cabañero said.

The tanods were able to arrest very recently a security guard of an establishment in Bulacao, who was selling drugs after just less than a week of surveillance.

A documentary has been made on CCSP and was distributed by NAPOLCOM to barangays in Region VII and also in other areas.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier this year decided to impose a “total ban” on foreign transplants since majority of those, who benefited from the kidney transplants are foreigners, adding that this also resulted in the rampant sale of organs among Filipinos.          

A kidney is sold at P5,000 to P10,000 from the source to a middleman, who in turn sells it for P50,000 to half a million to a foreign buyer. — (/NLQ) (THE FREEMAN)