Prov'l police fielding secret marshals also

In their effort to prevent robberies in public utility vehicles, the Cebu Provincial Police Office director yesterday said they would also field secret marshals in all passenger bus and multicabs with provincial routes.

But Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña does not agree with the idea of deploying secret marshals since it would not address the problem.

CCPO director S/Supt. Vicente Loot said they would put the secret marshals into action following a directive from regional police director C/Supt. Silverio Alarcio.

The decision to field secret marshals inside public utility vehicles was is in response to the public clamor for a safer community after last Wednesday's death of Carmela Cabañog, a 19-year-old student who was shot by a robber inside a passenger jeepney.

Loot said they already started the process of deploying secret marshals who are experts in martial arts. He said at least two secret marshals would be fielded in passenger vehicles from Consolacion town to Danao City in the north and from Talisay City to Carcar town in the south.

However, he did not give further details regarding the deployment.

Osmeña said that with the limited number of police personnel in the city, the move would even be another problem considering that policemen assigned to do other tasks may be pulled out to act as secret marshals.

"I don't really believe in deploying people as dedicated marshals. What we need are dedicated policemen and dedicated volunteers," Osmeña said.

The mayor explained that a better alternative is to further strengthen the barangay intelligence network so the problem can be solved at the barangay level, saying he was impressed by the participation of residents in barangay Basak-San Nicolas in apprehending robbers.

Osmeña said the city is also working on the move to increase the salaries of barangay tanods. "The barangay intelligence network has a lot of promise. Organizing in the neighborhood level is the way to go."

But south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco yesterday expressed his support to the deployment of secret marshals on condition that they should not bring along firearms.

"Importante gyud kaayo nga dili dugoon ang mahitabo," said Cuenco, who was the quest speaker during the closing rites for the 90 senior police officers who finished the Public Safety Senior Leadership Course at the Philippine National Police Regional Training School.

The lawmaker instead suggested to the regional police office that secret marshals should bring "batuta," tear gas and handcuffs, supporting Ricardo Cardinal Vidal's call that secret marshal should not kill robbers.

"Laing option siguro mao ang pag deputized ug mga civilian asset especially sa mga PUJ operators just in case dili maka deploy og mga secret marshals ang kapulisan," Cuenco said, adding that using firearms against robbers could endanger the lives of passengers. - Norvie S. Misa and Ramil V. Ayuman/LPM