Police, military checkpoints pushed in Brgy Kamagayan

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor James Cuenco wants the police and the military to conduct joint checkpoints in Barangay Kamagayan to address prostitution and drug problems in the area.

Cuenco, who chairs the council committee on tourism, wants to change the image that Kamagayan is known for as the “city’s red light district and drug Capital in the Visayas.”

Mobile checkpoints by the police and military personnel from the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines will help put an end to these problems, Cuenco said.

 â€œFrom as back as I can recall from my youth till today, that part of Junquera (Street) along Barangay Kamagayan has been known to be the haven of prostitution and the den of illegal drugs,” Cuenco said during a privilege speech.

Junquera is a street named after Governor General Junquera, a protector of natives. The existence of criminals in a place of historic value, which is ironically a short distance away from City Hall and from the police regional office, is “nothing less than a blatant symbol of a government that has turned the other way,” Cuenco said.

“It is time for us to squarely face the issues. Today, therefore, I rise on a matter of personal privilege to defend a heritage site against a handful of people in Kamagayan who are under illusions of untouchability,” he added.

Councilor Hans Abella objected to the proposed use of military personnel. Abella said the police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency are more than enough to conduct checkpoints.

“With military presence, Kamagayan will look like a war zone,” Abella stressed.

Councilor Sisinio Andales on the other hand suggested to delete the name of the barangay to protect its reputation. But Cuenco insisted on naming it arguing that the problems are well-known for Kamagayan.

Cuenco urged the city government to strictly enforce Ordinance 1427, or the law that prohibits the sale of Nubain without proper prescription from physicians accredited by the Dangerous Drugs Board.

The councilor also moved for the installation of security cameras and more street lights in strategic places throughout the barangay to further deter crimes. He likewise required the City Traffic Operations Management to coordinate with the Department of Tourism to orient cab drivers, the city’s front liners, as de facto tour guides.

“Against all odds, I ask the good people of Kamagayan to help eradicate known evils in their community and be the icon of change in our society. As chairman of the City’s committee on tourism, I guarantee that the derivatives of a good image will improve Kamagayan’s income potential and its tourism value,” Cuenco asserted. — (FREEMAN)