CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City needs more police stations but it requires more financial resources and personnel to make it happen, the Cebu City Police Office said.
Currently, the city only has 11 existing police stations. They are located in Parian, Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City Pier 1, Mabolo, Carbon Public Market, Sawang Calero, Poblacion Pardo, Talamban, Guadalupe, Labangon and Mambaling.
In an interview over the City's Sugboanon channel, CCPO deputy director for operations, Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, said that based on the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s regulations, the city is entitled to have 20 police stations.
Additional police stations are also being pushed by CCPO Director Antonietto Cañete with the help of the city government especially in areas where police presence is greatly needed.
Macatangay also added that Cañete in particular eyes more police stations in the city’s mountain barangays such as Adlaon and Malubog, a move that is already in the works.
“Kaning atong Adlaon and Malubog, work is on the process to make them into fully functional and active police stations…“By itself, it can function as its own police station. That means we can add more personnel, we can add more resources, it will have its own identity puhon, “Macatangay said.
CCPO also has a City Mobile Force Company detachment assigned in Barangay Pung-ol and Sudlon 2 accordingly.
“These things take time, but at least there is already something that is being done and these are tangible projects already, dili ra ni siya lip service. Makita nani, mahikap nani, og maadtoan nani sa atong mga gi-serve nga Cebuanos,” she added.
Meanwhile, the city government has provided additional patrol cars and equipment to the CCPO as a way to augment its capability.
CCPO is also lobbying at the City Council for the passage of a resolution that allow the City to donate a property where a new Carbon Public Market police station will be set up.
“We are very excited by any progress made by the City Council nga modukduk og resolution awarding a piece of land for Station 5,” Macatangay said. — (FREEMAN)