CSU: Waiting to prove its mettle

From January to July 22, the Crime Suppression Unit had filed 19 cases in court and arrested 22 suspected criminals as shown in its accomplishment report.

Of the figure, five were arrested for illegal drugs, seven for committing crimes against persons such as stabbing, and four for crimes against property such as robbery and snatching, three for illegal possession of firearms and deadly weapons while another three were arrested with warrants.

But despite the performance, Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch Chief Paul Labra said the accomplishment was good enough because CSU is doing well in terms of police visibility and patrols.

Earlier in a special report ran by The FREEMAN, acting city director Melvin Gayotin said CSU has not created an impact yet on the discriminating public, and Labra said it is because there are no major incidents yet that could put their expertise to the test.

"Wala pa man silay impact kaayo kay wala pa may noted criminals nga nag-standby dinhi. Namalhin man outside the city, even outside Cebu province." Gayotin said.

Labra said the arrests of notorious robber Rey Torres and his alleged accomplice Danny Limotan were done in Mindanao so the CSU has failed to put itself in the limelight here. "Dili gyud sila substantive og arrest kay wala man gud silay intelligence unit (The group's achievement is not substantive because it doesn't have an intelligence unit)," Gayotin said.

But Gayotin admitted that the presence of the CSU has caused a decline in crime volume. "Nikunhod gyud but relative man gud na sa arrest sa high profile criminals and also of the vigilantes (Crime volume decreased but this is relative to the arrest of high profile criminals)," Gayotin said.

Equipped with powerful firearms, communication gadgets and new vehicles the birth of CSU came when the city's peace and order situation last year was under threat particularly by the Torres and Limotan group.

Its 24 members were trained by a former U.S.-based policeman who briefed them on law enforcement and who helped them enhance their marksmanship skills.

The group's main task is to go after hardcore criminals with strict instructions not to hesitate to shoot when the need arises. The members were also tasked to serve warrants of arrests and be the first to respond to major alarms within at least three minutes. - Ryan P. Borinaga