Tanods urged to intensify foot patrol in barangays

CEBU, Philippines — All 1, 600 barangay tanods in Cebu City are asked to conduct an intensified foot patrol in their respective area to help prevent crimes.  Cebu City Office for Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) executive director Garry Lao issued a memorandum requesting all barangay tanods to beef up their visibility patrol and peace and order measures.

Lao sees the need to strengthen the security patrol in the barangays after a robbery incident in Barangay Mabolo last week wherein a call center agent was shot dead by the robber.

“In line of the recent incident of robbery and shooting to death of a call center agent in Cebu City, you are hereby asked to beef up patrols in your areas of jurisdictions especially at night time,” read a portion of the memorandum.

Lao said his office will monitor the performance of every tanod through their submission of individual accomplishment report and daily time record. All tanods are required to submit accomplishment report as supporting document before their monthly allowance of P4, 000 is released.

“It was just a reminder to them, naa mana gyud sila’y ilahang schedule ang uban kay in shifting basis,” he said.

Lao said the visibility patrol of tanods will help the police in the anti-criminality campaign.

“Well at least mas maayo naay visibility gyud kay ang kapolisan they cannot roam around 24 hours, if mag-roving ang tanods at least ma-minimize ang crime,” he said.

Councilor Joel Garganera, chairman of the Police Advisory Council (PAC), welcomes the move.

“I think that is good, but I think it should also be the initiative of the barangay captains to maintain peace and order in their respective barangay,” he said.

Lao’s memorandum also encouraged tanods to undergo trainings on self-defense as well as gun safety.

Association of Barangay Councils president and Kasambagan village chief Franklyn Ong said there is already a scheduled training on the first quarter of 2019. He said the training is in coordination with the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies. (FREEMAN)