Possible contraband entry point, Pasil Fish Port watched

CEBU, Philippines - Certain streets in the coastal barangays of Suba and Sawang Calero in Cebu City were proposed to be made “one way” only so authorities could observe the movement of people and vehicles going in and out of the Pasil Fish Port.

Yesterday, the Police Advisory Coordinating Council adopted the joint resolution of the two barangays seeking to declare General Genis Street in  Sawang Calero and Belgium Street in Barangay Suba as open to one traffic flow only.

Cebu City Vice Mayor and PCAC Chairman Edgardo Labella said the decision was reached based on the recommendation made after the PCAC held in Barangay Pasil last week.

He said that with the stringent security in official entry points like airports, syndicates might smuggle illegal goods and drugs through the coastal barangays.

They came up with the suspicion because of the big amounts of illegal drugs that the police seized in several operations recently.

Labella said they are giving special attention to the coastal areas of the city in the fight against illegal drugs.  Sawang Calero and Suba are among the 16 coastal barangays of the city.

Following its meeting, PCAC will submit a proposed a resolution for authorship by any member of the City Council for the amendment of the city’s Traffic Code embodied under City Ordinance 801.

Pending approval of the amendment, Labella said the two barangays are allowed to have an experimental period of one month.

“The whole stretch of General Genis Street and Belgium Street will be converted to one way and we have to clear the area, meaning no parking in both sides,” he said.

“This is to monitor the movements of those who will be going in and out of the coastal area, of the landing of motor boats and pump boats dinhi (here),” he added.

Meanwhile, the City Coastal Management Board asked the city Bantay Dagat Commission to regulate all the bancas from and to the fish port.

Cebu City Environmental and Natural Resources Office  Chief Randy Navarro said that during their CMB meeting yesterday, the Bantay Dagat would pass a resolution for the monitoring and regulation of boats and bancas at the fish port.

Navarro said they came up with the move after the Provincial Anti-illegal Fishing Task Force intercepted a boat carrying contraband in the waters off South Road Properties last month.

Labella said there will be an outpost at the corner of the Pasil Fish Port complex that would be manned 24 hours by barangay tanods of Sawang Calero and Suba together with uniformed police officers.

He said that during the PCAC meeting, the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) agreed to the proposal. — (FREEMAN)