City eyes police station in upland brgys

CEBU, Philippines - Citing lack of police visibility, the Cebu City government is mulling on establishing a police substation in one of the mountain barangays in the city.

Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, who chairs the Police Coordinating Advisory Council (PCAC), is scheduled to meet with mountain barangay officials on Tuesday to discuss the plan and likewise listen to their respective security concerns, particularly the problem on illegal drugs.

“We will find out from them which of the barangays in the mountain would be a strategic location for a possible substation. On the extent of the drug problem, they are in the best position to know the magnitude of the problem,” he said.

This time, Labella said, the PCAC meeting will be held in Talamban Police Station, the lone police station whose jurisdiction include all the mountain barangays in the city.

The problem on police visibility in the said barangays has once again been raised following last Sunday’s incident where 53-year-old Eleanor Rivera was shot by two men after robbing her car parked near Ayala Heights in Barangay Busay.

Rivera said it took a while before she got assistance from authorities. “That’s an area of concern and I agree; there’s a need for police visibility diha, which is a very important deterrent,” said Labella.

The vice mayor said that he will also suggest to the Council to reintroduce the previous proposal of Mayor Michael Rama to purchase smaller and fuel-efficient vehicles called Bantam cars.

“I agree with Mayor Rama’s suggestion; this is for the purpose of police visibility. One way of promoting police visibility is the presence of mobile patrol cars,” he added. —/BAL (FREEMAN)