Awards suggested to honor slain cops

The Cebu City Police Office yesterday recommended to the regional headquarters that the two slain cops, PO2 Armando Juegos and PO2 Oliver Jamboy, be given posthumous awards for their bravery and exemplary work in the performance of duty.

This as acting city police director Melvin Gayotin instructed Chief Inspector Arnel Banzon who is set to assume as head of the Mobile Patrol Group to prevent any similar incident from happening again.

Banzon as chief of MPG has direct control and supervision of the Special Weapons and Tactics as well as the Crime Suppression Unit although members of the city police directorial staff could also give orders from time to time.

Gayotin clarified that Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Branch chief Paul Labra could give orders to CSU anytime particularly on intelligence reports that need the assistance of CSU.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tomas Osmeña has criticized the absence of rules of engagement in the city police and the failure of the Mobile Patrol Group to respond to emergencies.

In his regular news conference yesterday afternoon, the mayor said he has learned that what appears to be the protocol in the call center at MPG office in the North Reclamation Area is that its personnel does not respond to emergency calls and dispatch instead members of the Hunters Team, or which is now officially known as the city police's Crime Suppression Unit.

Circumstances behind the incident last Sunday night wherein two cops of the city's CSU were slain when responding to a call of domestic violence in barangay Apas are indicative of the absence of rules of engagement in the police.

On the other hand, councilor Sylvan Jakosalem of the council's committee on police will recommend to the mayor for the possible purchase of non-lethal weapons, which could be of much help when responding to emergency calls, such as teargas, stun baton, as well as equipping the policemen with the basics of martial arts. - Ryan P. Borinaga and Cristina C. Birondo