To Prevent Taxi Robberies: CCPO asks city to install lights in dimly-lit areas

CEBU, Philippines - To prevent more taxi robberies in the future, the officials of Cebu City Police Office yesterday reiterated their request to the city government to install more streetlights, particularly in areas that are not properly lighted.

In yesterday’s command conference with acting city mayor Michael Rama, CCPO director P. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said installing lights in most of the streets will be of great help to prevent occurrences of taxi robbery, killings, as well as other crimes.

“We’ve also made adjustments on our patrol strategies. On the covert side we’ve already deployed plain clothes personnel posing as drivers, it’s been a week since the last incident and we believe it is working,” Comendador said.

For his part, Rama said that he had already instructed Department of Public Services (DPS) chief Dionisio Gualiza to repair or install new street lamps in the North Reclamation Area specifically the street where two taxi drivers were shot dead last month.

CCPO officials also told Rama that they have already solved one of the three recent taxi robbery incidents.

A week ago, taxi driver Gregorio Presores, 54, was shot dead along 13th Avenue North Reclamation Area, the same place where another taxi driver Victor Aballe, 34, was also killed barely a week earlier.

On March 19, taxi driver Randy Saballa, 33, also fell victim to armed robbers who ran away with his earnings, including his taxi unit.

But unlike the two other victims, Saballa only sustained a stab wound to his armpit when one of the two robbers stabbed him when he refused to give his P1,960 earnings for that day.

Also during the command conference, police officials briefed those who were present about the preparations for upcoming Lenten Season. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot and Ferliza C. Contratista/WAB    (THE FREEMAN)