Maguikay to profile residents and renters

CEBU, Philippines – Officials of Barangay Maguikay, Mandaue City are eyeing to implement a profiling system that aims to monitor the movement of residents and other people going in and out of the barangay, as a means of tracking lawless elements and criminals.

The officials have agreed to conduct a strict profiling and background check of the homeowners, and for apartment owners to file reports in the barangay hall of every visitor, tenant and renter occupying their properties.

Maguikay Barangay Captain Francis Tan said the barangay has approved the ordinance that mandates every resident of Maguikay to submit to profiling.

Barangay Kagawad Edgar Cabahug, who authored the barangay ordinance, said that what prompted him to propose the measure is the need to protect the lives and safety of the properties of legitimate residents of Maguikay.

"We must be very vigilant nowadays because of some threat in our country like the presence of Abu Sayyaf, drug pushers, gun runner and tulisan. They usually rent for how many months to plot their plans," Cabahug said, adding that the profiling system is necessary so that barangay can monitor the people within the community.

The ordinance covers lodging houses, boarding houses, condominiums, and apartments.

A penalty of P200 will be imposed if an owner fails to provide the barangay with a report about their renters.

Under the ordinance, the residents, including renter and lodgers, have to go to the barangay for photo-capturing and gathering of data.

The ordinance also stipulates that all boarding house, apartment owners and room-for-rent tenant owners must screen their renters. They must ask applicants for documents like barangay clearance from where they will be moving from, police clearance, and NBI clearance.

"You must report immediately to the barangay hall if you have visitors and new renters. If he is wanted already, it's better to go to the police to report," Cabahug said. —/JBB (FREEMAN)