Mayor wants Carbon police station chief relieved

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama wants the station chief of the Carbon Police Station relieved from his post after a Barangay Intelligence Network member was shot dead in broad daylight in their area of responsibility last Thursday.

“I want the station commander be out of that area. No need for explanation,” Rama said during his regular news conference yesterday.

Rama said that he warned all the station commanders after he came home from a trip abroad earlier this month that they will be relieved from their post in the event that a crime happens in their area of jurisdiction and they cannot give a valid explanation.

But in this case, Rama said an explanation is no longer necessary because he cannot understand where all the Carbon policemen were when the incident happened.

Carbon police chief Chief Insp. Renero Agustin was not available for comment yesterday.

“Where were all of them? Remember that it happened in broad daylight. And remember that I have restored the two-way traffic in that area,” Rama said.

Catalino Entoma, 29, of Barangay Bulacao Pardo was shot dead past noon last Thursday in Unit 2, Carbon Public Market, Barangay Ermita.

He was with his live-in partner to buy some groceries when a man in a full-face helmet approached and shot him twice.

Police said Entoma was a BIN member assigned to secure the Gaisano Capital South ruins.

Police believe his murder is related to a recent incident when he had a fight with scavengers he caught them stealing from the ruins of the burned department store.

“Let us remind them this: Do not take me lightly,” Rama told the police.

“If it takes you to be replaced, then I will replace. I will go up to Manila as I have done before,” he added.

Even after the series of shootings, Rama is still bent on increasing the allowance of policemen from P2,000 to P3,000 or P4,000.

Rama said that the monthly allowance policemen receive from the city government monthly will help in their daily living and will inspire them to do more in their job.

All Cebu City Police Office personnel receive a P2,000 monthly allowance from the city government. It used to be P1,000 but the mayor increased it to P2,000 last year.

This year, Rama said he is inclined to make another increase depending on the availability of funds. (FREEMAN)