Please don't call it "Sitio Kawatan"

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Tabunok chief Maning Cabriana has appealed to the public to stop referring to sitio Mananga 2 as "sitio Kawatan" for fear that children there might have difficulty finding employment in the future just because they are residents of the place.

"Bati ang imahe sa mga tawo. Maabot ang panahon nga ang mga bata diha maglisud og pang-apply og trabaho tungod kay taga sitio Kawatan sila," said Cabriana.

He said it has been called sitio Kawatan since 2004, and to stop people from calling it such, the barangay would put up next week a tarpaulin in the area bearing the real name of the sitio.

The village chief said sitio Mananga 2 is the most "problematic" among the barangay's 22 sitios.

In the past years, differences between Christian and Muslim groups residing in the area resulted to shootings but Cabriana said the barangay had called the attention of the warring parties, and thereby prevented the conflict to escalate.

He said during that time families in the area were forced to take their supper at 4 in the afternoon so that they could all shut off their lights by nighttime, when gunshots were reportedly heard just around the corner.

The barangay last year enforced an ID system especially in Mananga 2 and its neighbor Mananga 1 in a bid to identify the legitimate residents there.

Already, about 1,000 residents of Mananga 2 have availed of the program, said Cabriana.

Cabriana said the barangay's database was also helpful in identifying the suspects in the killing of PO1 William Mangubat Jr.

He said suspect Jundy Oros came to the barangay hall last year to supposedly have his picture taken for the ID system, but when he learned what the project was for he backed out.

Oros, a resident of Mananga 2, was among those identified by witnesses as the 4 killers of Mangubat.

Mangubat was shot dead while chasing the robbery suspects in the interiors of sitio Mananga.

Oros's brother Lito and Noel Simbajon alias Noel Pacaña were still at large as of press time.

Cabriana said the barangay ID is a necessary requirement when securing a barangay certificate and financial aid.

Aside from that, those without IDs will also be ordered to move out of the barangay especially that they are illegal settlers of the government-owned lot, he said.

Sitio Mananga 2 has more than 1,000 residents.

The sitio, the part of which is directly under Mananga Bridge, is where criminals run to after committing a crime on board PUJs.

They reportedly have friends living there, which prompted former Talisay City Police Station commander Henry Biñas to also make the owner of the house where suspected criminals hide liable.

And to make the criminals wary of their next move, both police and the barangay have been working to build a police substation there.

Cabriana however said a few years back, then Talisay City Police Station chief Romeo Perigo had proposed that idea following the series of robbery-hold up incidents there.

As a result, the city government has earmarked P200,000 for the construction of a substation, but until now it has not materialized.