Garcia donates SOCO vans

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia lauds the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) for their accomplishments in fighting against illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

Garcia and the CPPO yesterday had a ceremonial burning of more than 6,000 marijuana plants and destroyed 16 video karera machines.

The ceremony was a “celebration of performance and hope for the province,” Garcia said during her speech.

“It shows the actual accomplishments of our men and women in uniform who put their lives at risk,” she said.

Garcia also assured CPPO Director Patrocinio Comendador of her support in all their endeavors.

The marijuana plants were uprooted during raids in various towns of the province while the video karera machines were also confiscated from different municipalities.

Most of the marijuana plants came from the towns of Balamban, Carmen, Badian, Tuburan and Liloan as well as from the cities of Danao and Toledo. These were uprooted by the Provincial Intelligence Branch, Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operation Task Group and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-7.

Most of the video karera machines were from Consolacion town.

The chiefs of the police stations concerned were also given awards for having demonstrated “dedication to duty and exemplary in performance” that greatly contributed to the reduction of illegal drugs in the entire Cebu province.

The awardees were Supt. Anthony Bagarinao, Chief Insp. Jovito Canlapan, Chief Insp. Alvin Balio, Sr. Insp. Richard Oliver, Insp. Edgar Awe, Sr. Insp. Almirante Bacayo, Insp. Welther Grapa, and Supt. Rodolfo Albotra.

To show the governor’s full support for the CPPO, she donated two Scene of the Crime Investigations (Soco) vans and Soco equipment worth P206, 246, 200.

The two vans will be used by police stations in the northern and southern Cebu.

Comendador said the equipment are an added value for the provincial police.

“We thank (the governor) for her support and this will improve peace and order in the province,” he said.

Comendador said the ceremony will prove that police are intensifying their operations against illegal drugs and illegal gambling.

Police Regional Police-7 Director Ager Ontog said that the leadership of the governor would be an encouragement for others to be efficient with their jobs. (FREEMAN)