Rama mulls additional vehicles, allowance to Cebu City policemen

CEBU, Philippines - Ecstatic by the achievements of the Cebu City Police Office, Mayor Michael Rama yesterday announced his plan to buy additional motorcycles and communication equipment for the police to make them more effective in the fight against criminalities.

Rama is even considering to increase the P2,000 monthly allowance of each of the city policeman by at least P1,000 or P2,000. This is however subject to the condition that their performance should continue to be good.

The mayor was happy after learning from the police that several criminal elements have been arrested over the weekend. Among those arrested were members of the criminal gang responsible in the drive-by shooting in the city and suspected robbers.

Rama said he will ask City Budget Officer Nelfa Briones to study the possibility of giving additional P1,000 to P2,000 allowance to each of the more than 900 policemen assigned in Cebu City.

The mayor said additional vehicles and communication equipment will be purchased by the city to increase police visibility in crime prone areas.

According to Rama, communication equipment is very important to facilitate the effective flow of information and instructions in the field. The recent accomplishment of the police could not have been possible had it not because of the effective communication.

The police responded to an armed person alarm in Sanciangko when a colleague asked for back-up through the UHF radio.

Cebu City police director Ramon Melvin Buenafe was happy to learn about the mayor’s plan to give them additional vehicles and communication equipment. The city government earlier donated 44 brand new Honda XR motorcycles which are now being used by the members of the Special Weapons and Tactics assigned at the Motorcycle Response Unit.

But, Buenafe said they still lack the needed communication equipment. – (FREEMAN)