Docs detailing city’s support to police sent to government agencies

CEBU, Philippines — To put an end to the issue that the Cebu City government is not giving enough support to its police force, the City Council submitted to different government agencies pertinent documents detailing the allocation of assistance given to the city police.

These documents were sent to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) and Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

The council has also requested CCPO to reconcile their records with the city government for proper documentation of assistance.

In the session last Tuesday, Councilor Eugenio Gabuya Jr. raised a motion to send documents to government agencies detailing the city’s assistance to the police authorities.

Recently, the issue about the city’s lack of support to the police surfaced after Supt. Artemio Ricabo, CCPO deputy city director for administration, said that they received limited fuel allocation and the supply does not last until the end of the month.

President Rodrigo Duterte has also criticized Mayor Tomas Osmeña because of this issue.

But records of the Department of General Services (DGS) show that from June 2017 up to the present, the city spent P673,192.07 for electricity expenses, P46, 654.84 for water expenses, and P697, 956.98 for telephone expenses  of CCPO.

The city also spent P8.8 million for the fuel allowance from June 2017 up to present.

From June to December 2017, the city government has issued at least 51 units of service motorcycle and 43 units of service vehicles and from January 2018 up to the present, it has issued  44 units of motorcycle and 45 vehicles to the city police.

In addition, at least 433 handheld radio sets, 48 base radio sets, and 389 firearms were given to the police from June 2017 up to the present.

But before the council approved Gabuya’s motion, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia asked whether the city government still gives electricity bill assistance, water bill assistance, telephone expenses assistance, fuel allowance, vehicles, equipment, and firearms to CCPO.

Gabuya said the city is still giving assistance until now.

Councilor Joel Garganera, who sits as the chairman of Police Advisory Council (PAC), also asked Gabuya if the 389 firearms remain with CCPO.

To recall, on July 15, 2016, Osmeña directed CCPO, city councilors, department heads, barangay officials and City Hall employees to return their service firearms within five days after getting the memorandum.

Councilor David Tumulak, deputy mayor over police matters, said that the firearms remain in the custody of police pending the renewal of license.

In a separate interview, DGS head Ronaldo Malacora told The FREEMAN that of the 389 firearms, only 180 have renewed licenses.

“Renewed na ang 180, ang sobra dili ma-renew kay wala’y records sa Camp Crame, unya ang uban guba na. Naa na tanan naka-deposit sa CCPO,” he said. — MBG (FREEMAN)