For maintenance of PNP vehicles: Tomas cuts funds

CEBU, Philippines —  Following his word war with the police, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city government will no longer spend for the maintenance of the vehicles it issued to the cops.

In addition, Osmeña said the city will also let the PNP process and pay for the registration of the vehicles.

“We’re drawing the line. From now on, all the city vehicles that are with the police, they take care of their own maintenance. I’m not going to bother with that. Siguro naman, they can afford to do that. Let them take care of their own maintenance. Number two, they will have to facilitate and pay for the registration of those vehicles,” he told reporters.

Besides, he said, the Land Transportation Office is reportedly giving the city a hard time to process the vehicle registrations.

“We are just establishing our identity…that Cebu City is under Cebu City and not anyone else,” he told The FREEMAN.

Ronald Malacora, the head of the city’s Department of General Services, said there are at least 90 city-owned vehicles and motorcycles that have been issued to the Cebu City Police Office and to the police stations in the city – 40 four-wheeled vehicles and 50 motorcycles.

The estimated cost for maintenance and registration of one four-wheeled vehicle is P40,000 to P50,000 while the estimated cost for maintenance and registration of a motorcycle is between P5,000 to P10,000.

Osmeña said, however, that he will continue to support police initiatives for peace and order.

The police have asked the city for radios and drivers of the vehicles for patrol, among others.

These past few days, the mayor has been questioning the pronouncement of Police Regional Office-7 Director Debold Sinas that the city is safe even with the spate of killings.

“General Sinas, Col. Garma is with the City Councilor and Police Deputy Mayor (David Tumulak) that you said you will order a manhunt against for bringing the driver of your policeman assassin to CCMC. They are together in today’s Peace and Order Council meeting and she is asking for radios and drivers for the vehicles the City is currently lending to the police. Upon Kons. Tumulak’s recommendation, we will approve these requests after receiving them in writing. Col. Garma deserves the chance to prove she is not you,” the mayor said in one of his posts on Facebook.

The mayor believes that criminals are no longer afraid and that the police might be protecting a group of killers reportedly responsible for the series of killings here.

He also believes that the police have something to do with the supposed foiled assassination of Tejero Barangay Councilman Jessielou Cadungog.

Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma challenged the mayor to show proof, as his statement has stained the image of the police.

To this, Osmeña said:

“Why do they need proof? The police already ambushed our councilor. But, they are just turning it around. That’s the proof itself. Let the people judge.”

Last Monday, Cadungog’s bodyguard, William Macaslang, killed PO3 Eugene Calumba when the bodyguard allegedly saw Calumba pull out a gun and attempted to shoot Cadungog’s vehicle.

The police, however, have their own narrative, saying that Calumba, together with police asset Michael Banua, were but conducting surveillance in the area.

Osmeña believes that the police’s accusation that Cadungog is in the drug list and the supposed attempt at his life are “very strong proof” that the police have something to do with the killings in the city. — /JMO (FREEMAN)