CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s vision of having the city’s police force as the finest in Cebu is gaining ground with work on the firing range at the Cebu City Police Office almost complete and construction of a new five-story building also at Camp Sotero Cabahug set to begin.
City Councilor Phillip Zafra told The Freeman the firing range is expected to be operational in about two to three months.
The city has allocated P5 million to renovate the range.
Incidentally, the budget was approved in 2015 during Rama’s previous term as mayor but the project was delayed when Rama lost in the 2016 elections.
“Dugay na kaayo ang budget ani bitaw, 2015 pa gyud na, pero wala gyud ma-implement, wala matagai’g priority ba,” Zafra said.
With the range, the city hopes to hone the marksmanship of its policemen further, both veterans and neophytes. There, sharpshooters of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) can expected to transfer knowledge and help colleagues improve.
“Daghan ta’g experts… sharpshooters diha… naa pud tay mga maayong range officer diha… We just have to revive Cebu’s finest kay maayo kaayo atong mga (kapulisan) in terms of marksmanship diri sa city… it’s just that naay mga bag-o, kinahanglan i-revive gyud ni natong plano on having Cebu’s finest...para di ta mauwahi,” Zafra said.
Zafra said the City Engineering and City Architect’s Office, along with experts of CCPO, have collaborated in coming with the design of the range, also to ensure safety measures will be in place.
Meanwhile, CCPO information officer, Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay said work for the construction of the new building has started. On Tuesday, July 5, 2022, Cebu City Architect Eleazar Lipang inspected the area of construction.
The project will break ground soon, after which, the existing building will be demolished to pave the way for construction of the new one. Construction will be in phases with each phase costing the city P50 million.
Macatangay assured services will not be compromised by the construction.
“Police services will not be affected… Padayon ra gihapon ang serbisyo sa atoang Cebu City Police Office sa atong komunidad here ug di sila angay mabalaka ana nga improvement ngari sa atoang headquarters,” she said.
She said a new building will boost the morale and give more dignity to policemen in performing their duties.
Aside from these, the new building is also seen to address the long standing problem of parking at Camp Sotero Cabahug where CCPO is located.
“Naa siya’y ibutang nga elevator, naa siya’y mga designated parking sa ilawm sa building… parking has been one of the perennial problems here in Camp Sotero Cabahug and, hopefully, with that particular structure, we’ll be able to resolve this issue,” Macatangay said.
Sinas Welcome
These two projects at CCPO come in time for the return of retired Philippine National Police chief Debold Sinas to Cebu. Rama has appointed him as adviser to the city’s peace and order council.
Macatangay said Sinas will be an asset to the city.
"First of all, the CCPO is quite elated on the appointment of our former regional director Sinas… We know that Sir Sinas could be a very competent individual, one with a high degree of professionalism," she said.
Macatangay said Sinas helped keep the city's peace and order when he was PRO-7 director from 2018 to 2019 and when he became chief of the Philippine National Police in November 2020.
She said the city’s police officials have actually been seeking his advice on law enforcement matters.
"Wala nasayod ang mga kadaghanan ani sa Cebu City but he has been very material in our law enforcement initiative here in the city," Macatangay said.
She said the public has nothing to be worried about with Sinas’ return.
"I think there is nothing to fear about Sinas. Probably, those that would fear him are those people who are criminals, mga gahig ulo… I think they should fear him," Macatangay said.
"If you are a law-abiding citizen, you respect the law, and you respect the authorities, I don’t think there is a need for you to fear anyone at all," she added.
Task Force kasaligan
In a separate development, the city has renewed the services of 124 of 175 members of Task Force Kasaligan whose contracts expired on June 30, 2022, Zafra said.
Some of those whose contracts were not renewed failed during assessment while others are now with other agencies like the PNP, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
“Ato gyud nang gisiguro nga mabalik gyud ang Task Force Kasaligan especially now nga wa pa man gyud mawa ang COVID but gi-mold na ni sila to help the city in the implementation, monitoring, and observance sa mga existing ordinance side by side with our police so padayon gyud silang muserbisyo sa Dakbayan sa Sugbo ngadto sa mga kabarangayan,” Zafra said.
Zafra has also met with the city police’s Deputy Director for Operations, Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, and all station commanders to assess the peace and order situation in the city.
“With kining damgo sa atong Mayor nga mahimo tang Little Singapore, so wala gyud tay palabyon bisan unsa kagamay nga butang nga may labot sa katunhay sa kahusay ug kalinaw… ato gyung buhaton...meaning, atong mga station commanders dapat mas tutok gyud, atong buhaton sa operation sa barangay, pati ang Task Force Kasaligan, ug ang tanan, apil gyud para bisan unsa ka gamay ..ordinansa atong i-implement, para ato gyung ma-instill ang disiplina and atong ma-achieve ang atong tuyo,” Zafra said.- Dominic I. Dilao and Rubie Mae T. Sollano, JMO