On Sinulog day: Prison vans to serve as shelter for drunks

CEBU, Philippines – Drunk persons will no longer have to sleep on the street during the Sinulog because prison vans will be provided by Police Regional Office-7 to serve as temporary shelter for them.

Senior Superintendent Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief directorial staff, said they have borrowed prison vans from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology for the occasion because of several incidents last year in which drunk persons spent the whole night by the roadside.

Lawas said the police will assist drunk persons by providing them a place to sleep.

  “We will assist them, we will provide assistance to them kay basin og tungod sa kahubog, di na kauli, matog na lang sa karsada. So I safe keep nato sila,” said Lawas.

Lawas was thankful to the BJMP for allowing the PRO-7 to use their prison vans.

  “Nag-request mi sa BJMP in which nalipay ta’g dako kay willing sila mopahuwam sa bus or prison van nila. Then ang mga hubog adto patulogon didto,” Lawas added.

The Cebu City government, however, has announced that it will not issue permits for street parties starting on January 15 until the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 17.

Despite the ban of street parties, Lawas said it is still inevitable that there were be drunk people on the streets during the occasion, for which the police should prepare.

He warned that drunk people causing trouble will surely end up in jail.— /FPL (FREEMAN)