CEBU, Philippines — In these dire times, even police know that ensuring peace and order alone may not be enough.
Thus, in Danao City, curfew violators are made to pray first before they are reintegrated back to their communities following their arrest.
Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Colonel Roderick Mariano pointed out that this is not a form of punishment.
In fact, he said that violators are given lectures on the precautionary measures against COVID-19.
“Prior to their release doon sa kanilang mga respective na mga barangays, they were (tasked) na magdasal muna,” he said.
Meanwhile, some policemen have been designated to ensure orderly distribution of food supplies in the barangays, Police Regional Office-7 Director Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro said.
Aside from the provision of security, Ferro also said that they will be also helping the government by investigating those who will abuse their power if they will be found to have unfairly distributed the supplies.
“Actually, if we find out that some are abusing their authorities, especially in the unfair distribution of the food, we will investigate them,” he said.
Fair Distribution
Furthermore, Ferro assured the people that the local governments in Cebu City and Cebu province are doing their best to ensure that the distribution is fair.
“If there would be discrepancy, just let us know so that we could advise our City Mayor of Cebu to come up with more reasonable distribution of food supplies,” Ferro said.
“To our Cebuanos, please be aware that your food supply from the city government is enough, but I assure you that our city mayor was able to procure substantial food supply for the whole Cebu City,” Ferro added.
Moreover, following the reported incident involving two persons in Danao City who were caught to have stolen canned goods, Ferro said that his directives to the rest of the Central Visayas cops remains the same: to implement the law in an orderly manner.
In line with this, the PRO-7 chief said that the crime incidents continue to decline for the past weeks even amid such reports.
“From March 14 to March 20, there were 104 crimes nato sa tanan and the second week, from (March) 21 to 27, the crime rate (was) almost 70 something,” Ferro said.
He further said that from yesterday up to this writing, the crime incidents recorded were at 24.
‘Generally peaceful’
Meanwhile, in the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in Cebu province, Cebu Mariano said it is so far “generally peaceful,” specifically at the ECQ control points.
Mariano admitted, however, that they have encountered minor problems such as confusion as border entry exemptions.
“May mga kalituhan nang konti but immediately na co-correct naman upon the (leadership) our chief of police,” Mariano said. JMD (FREEMAN)