Police visibility in mountain barangays urged

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Coordinating and Advisory Council has advised the Cebu City Police Office to deploy more police personnel in the mountain barangays of the city following reports that the Alimaong group is recruiting more members there.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who chairs PCAC, said police authorities should be vigilant especially that the Alimaong group, tagged as native warriors, carries deadly weapons.

PCAC’s weekly meeting was held yesterday in Barangay Agsungot, where a shootout between the Alimaong group and the Special Weapons and Tactics team happened two months ago that left one of the tribe’s members dead and a SWAT member injured.

Barangay officials of Guba, Lusaran, Busay, Binaliw, and Agsungot - who were present during the meeting - said they are worried about the tribe’s recent move of recruiting members, which might affect the peace and order in their areas.

Police visibility and random checkpoints in the mountain barangays will help lessen the tension in the area as well as safeguard the residents, said Labella.

Labella said they have not yet identified any member of the tribe so they will be inviting the director of the National Commission on Indigenous People in their next meeting for more information about the group.

The vice mayor said they learned that the group is not accredited and recognized by NCIP, which is the primary agency of the government responsible for promoting and protecting the rights of the indigenous cultural communities.

He said that since the group has no recognition from NCIP, its members should not be bringing firearms, otherwise they are violating the law on illegal possession of firearms. — (FREEMAN)