CEBU, Philippines — The transfer of the Philippine National Police Maritime Group’s national headquarters from Manila to Cebu is now being eyed at the South Road Properties here.
This was one of the discussions during a courtesy visit by PNP-MG’s director, Police Brigadier General Jonathan Cabal and the new Cebu Maritime Police Station (CMPS) head Police Major Andres Telles Jr. to Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia late last week.
According to the City’s PIO, Cabal said that they want to transfer their national headquarters here to Cebu as it is center of the archipelago.
The city’s strategic location will allow the PNP-MG faster response time to any concern that will be brought to their office.
Garcia supports the plan.
“Kinsa may dili ganahan nga national headquarters instead of Manila anhi sa Cebu?” Garcia said.
If this pushes through, the office of the CMPS will be incorporated with the PNP-MG’s national headquarters. At the moment, the CMPS is reportedly only utilizing a container van as its office in Pier 5.
Garcia said it would be an honor for Cebu City to have a national headquarters here.
“Dako kaayo ‘nang garbo namo ba natong tanan. Okay kaayo ko uy, I will support, I will support,” Garcia said.
With this, Garcia told Cabal to formally send a letter of intent on its plan to transfer its national headquarters here.
According to its website, the PNP-MG is the primary PNP unit responsible in law enforcement in the maritime environment. It is tasked to perform all police functions over Philippine territorial waters and rivers including ports and harbors and small islands. Its total area of responsibility is reportedly nine times bigger than the country’s total land area.
At present, the group has 17 Regional Maritime Units with its 57 Maritime Police Stations, eleven 11 Maritime Police precincts, two special operations units, and three support units.
Aside from that PNP-MG, the Commission on Audit and the Bureau of Local Government Finance have also reportedly expressed their intentions to move to the SRP.