CPPO retains old camp name

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Police Office will still be known as Camp General Arcadio Maxilom after the national police headquarters approved the request of provincial director Sr. Supt. Noel Gillamac to retain its old camp name.

Gillamac said PNP chief Alan Purisima approved his request before the latter was suspended by the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged graft and corruption.

Gillamac said the CPPPO will be named after General Maxilom, the last general to surrender to the Americans in Cebu. Gillamac said he requested to retain the name of the old provincial police headquarters before they were transferred in Sudlon, Lahug.

 “Sayon mahinumduman sa kaigsuonan if and when kun naay mga complainant considering nga in the near future nga naa na diri ang opisina sa NBI ug sa PDEA ug ang Crime Laboratory. Sayon na lang sa ilaha ang pagtultol sa atong opisina,” Gillamac said.

Gillamac sent a letter to Purisima on January 6, 2014 requesting to retain the old camp name. A follow-up letter was made on August 5, 2014.

“Nagpadala ta og request sa buhatan sa Chief PNP to adopt Gen. Arcadio Maxilom sa atong kampo, considering sad nga gi-donate na sad ni sa atong kagamhanan sa (lalawigan) sa Sugbo,” Gillamac said.

The move was supported by the provincial government and of the Municipality of Tuburan where General Maxilom came from.

“This was supported sa resolution sa Sangguniang Bayan of Tuburan and Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Cebu,” he said.

Gillamac said the move has historical significance because the place is where General Maxilom used to hide.

Camp General Arcadio Maxilom used to be located along Salinas Drive in Lahug. The Cebu Provincial Police Office in 2009 was transferred to Sudlon, Lahug but it was not until October 9, 2014 that the provincial government donated the 5,000-square meter lot to the PNP.

General Maxilom was born on November 13, 1862. He was the son of the gobernadorcillo of Tuburan, Cebu.

He was a teacher and he inherited his father’s position as gobernardorcillo of Tuburan before the Cebuano patriots fought against the Spaniards in Cebu on April 3, 1898.

Maxilom replaced Pantaleon Villegas popularly known as Leon Kilat when the latter was treacherously murdered in Carcar on April 10, 1898.

He was a military commander of the Katipunan in Cebu and held camps in Sudlon and Pardo. When the Philippines was ceded by Spain to the United States, General Maxilom continued with his fight for Cebuano independence.

Gen. Maxilom surrendered to the Americans on October 27, 1901 and was imprisoned for two years. He was released in 1903. —FPL (FREEMAN)