3 police stations told to coordinate, secure downtown

CEBU, Philippines - Amid reports that robbers are hitting the downtown area again after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings, the Cebu City Police Office has directed its three police stations to help each other monitor the area.

City Intelligence Branch chief Superintendent Romeo Santander called the attention of Parian Police Station, Waterfront Police Station and Carbon Police Station to coordinate and address the security problem especially along Colon Street.

“It has been a perennial problem in Colon. Maayo lang og naa ang APEC. But now, we are going to make changes,” said Santander.

He said there will be changes especially in the deployment of personnel from the three police stations to secure the downtown area, where robbers would reportedly usually strike.

Santander said the action was based on the directive of the acting director of CCPO, Senior Superintendent Marciano Batiancela. He did not go further though on the details of the said changes that will be made.

He said to ensure that the police stations will do their part, CIB will be monitoring them.

Chief Inspector Aileen Recla, chief of the Investigation and Detective Management Bureau, nonetheless said the crimes in the streets have not increased, although they noticed a trend that robbers have transferred operating inside jeepneys.

“Maybe because it’s moving man gud. Unlike in the streets, they could easily get arrested by the beat patrols,” said Recla.

She said IDMB as well as the Theft and Robbery Section are deploying police marshal who would randomly get onboard jeepneys to check for possible robbery incidents inside.

Recla said photos of notorious robbers and stickers containing police hotline numbers have helped in deterring crimes in the city. —/NSA (FREEMAN)