IF ELECTED VICE MAYOR: Palcuto to "ask" criminals to leave

CEBU, Philippines - If elected vice mayor of Cebu City, independent candidate Rico Palcuto vowed to clean up the city from criminal elements by asking them to leave.

Palcuto, a retired police official, said if necessary he will personally ask the criminal elements to stay away from the city.

The 71-year old candidate is also in favor of arming up the barangay tanods for them to be able to effectively assist the police in the maintenance of peace and order in their respective area of jurisdictions.

Palcuto believes that improving the peace and order situation in the city will also improve its economic opportunities because it will encourage more investors.

“Peace and order is the basic foundation for economic prosperity,” said Palcuto who proudly announced that in his four decades of public service he retired without a single record of corruption.

Palcuto however clarified that while he is in favor of arming the tanods, proper trainings should be provided to teach them proper gun handling.

Palcuto strongly believe that his 40 years experience in law enforcement could help improve the peace and order situation in the city.

According to him, the city needs him being the “man with the will to make things happen for the betterment of the city.”

“When the image of Cebu City as the beautiful Queen City of the South is tarnished by the plague of criminality and lawlessness, once again I will put my life on the line, in service of the city, my home for the past decades,” said Palcuto.

Palcuto’s was very popular in the 1980’s as then chief of the Regional Security Unit now known as the Regional Intelligence and Investigation Division because of his active campaign against the insurgency.

He confessed having killed several lawless elements during legitimate operations while he was still in active service but already forgot how many of them.(FREEMAN NEWS)