Interpol among city Charter Day awardees

Cebu - The International Police will be among the agencies to be awarded in the upcoming Cebu City Charter Day celebration.

In yesterday’s session of the City Council, Councilor Gerardo Carillo made a corollary motion to the resolution of acting Vice Mayor Hilario Davide III, asking the Cebu City Historical Affairs Commission to include Interpol among the agencies to be recognized during the Charter Day celebration next month.

Davide’s resolution expressed deep appreciation and gratitude to the Interpol for the invaluable help extended to the families of the victims of the ill-fated Princess of the Stars.

The Interpol assisted in identifying over 300 passengers and crew of the Stars and other victims of typhoon Frank last year through the DNA-assisted identification process along with the other members of the Disaster Victim Identification Team, the National Bureau of Investigation.

Interpol, according to Davide’s resolution, made a major role in supporting and coordinating with the DVI efforts of the local authorities.

Interpol gave prompt and accurate information on the difficult process of identification, set up an information management center for the grieving families as soon as it set foot here in the city, and more importantly, installed a mobile forensic laboratory and refrigerated containers or the mobile morgue.

The mobile morgue is the place where the remains of the additional and unidentified victims are properly stored for the post-mortem examinations during the identification process.

The resolution also commended Interpol for its continued investigative and analytical support to local authorities through its worldwide network of experts and laboratories giving hope to families of victims whose remains have yet to be identified.

The Interpol is set to turn over the donated equipment formally to local counterparts on February 5 in a ceremony to be attended by President Gloria Arroyo. — Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)