City forms peace and order council

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has ordered the creation of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) to ensure and maintain the peace and order in the city.

Section 16 of the Local Government Code of 1991 or Republic Act 7160 mandates all local government units to ensure and maintain peace and order, and preserve the comfort and convenience of their inhabitants.

Labella heads the CPOC, while Vice Mayor Michael Rama is the vice chairperson.

The members of the council include the Sangguniang Panlungsod member- chairperson on the Committee on Peace and Order and Public Safety; Liga ng mga Barangay President- Cebu City Chapter; City Director, Department of Interior and Local Government; City Director, Philippine National Police; commander, Task Force Cebu- Bohol- Siquijor, 3rd ID, Philippine Army Agent, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency; Divisions Superintendent, Department of Education; City Prosecutor, Deparment of Justice; District Engineer, Department of Public Works and Highways; City Information Officer; City Agricultural Officer; City Social Welfare and Development Officer; City Health Officer; City Environment and Natural Resources Officer; three representatives from civil society organizations; and Sangguniang Kabataan Pederasyon President. The head secretariat is the DILG city director.

The duties of the CPOC are to convene quarterly, or as often as the need arises, and adopt resolutions intended for peace and order such as adopting the Peace and Order Public Safety (POPS) Plan and creating a Special Action Committee (SAC) on anti-insurgency and anti-criminality, crisis management, to name a few.

Section 116 of the Local Government Code of 1991 provides that a local peace and order council be established in every province, city, and municipality.

Labella, being the Regional Peace and Order Council chairman for Region VII, has vowed to intensify the relentless fight against criminality to maintain the peace and order not just in the city but also in the entire region. GAN (FREEMAN)