One strike for city cops

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Police Office is cracking the whip on police stations that fail to prevent robberies in their areas of jurisdiction.

City Police Director, Senior Superintendent Noli Romana, said yesterday a “one strike policy” would now be in place and all personnel, not just the station chief, would be held accountable. This also means that the station chief and his men may be relieved from post and transferred outside Cebu City.

“Actually it’s one strike policy just like ini-implement elsewhere in the country,” Romana said.

Earlier, Mayor Michael Rama imposed a three-strike policy for the police following the recent successive heists on convenience stores, money remittance outlets, gasoline stations, and other establishments.

With the three-strike policy, Romana said the status of all police stations is now “back to zero” as far as track record is concerned.

The policemen who will be relieved will be made to undergo retraining.

“Dapat back to basics. Despite yung mga measures, actions we have taken, we tend to forget the basics na kaila-ngan din natin,” Romana said.

If this happens, police personnel from other parts of the region and even from the national headquarters will be requested to fill the posts vacated, he said.

He said the office acknowledges the efforts and accomplishments of parti-cular policemen but it also wants to emphasize the importance of teamwork and cohesiveness in implementing PNP’s programs.

Romana also agreed with Rama to stop giving financial aid to policemen, including to the station commander, who fail to live up to expectations.

“This is one of the measures na napag-usapan and agreed upon by the body including the members of the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council. The mayor, as a manager, is applying the principle of value for money,” he said.

He said that an incentive is a form of privilege granted to the policemen and can be withdrawn anytime.

Romana said he will instruct Chief Inspector Romeo Santander, head of the City Intelligence Branch, to enhance counter-intelligence measures to determine the motive of the successive robbery incidents here.

He said the series of robbery incidents are meant to spoil the accomplishments of the police, especially in their successful operations against illegal drugs.

PROBE IMPORTANT

For his part, Police Regional Office-7 Director, Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas, contended that while they respect Rama and Romana’s decision, policemen should not be removed from the posts without investigation.

“Mahirap naman yun. Di mo pa na iimbestigahan, ire-relieve mo na. May due process din,” he said.

Part of the investigation, he said, is evaluating and determining who should be held responsible for operational lapses in individual police stations.

Bañas said he will study the decision to remove an entire police station staff.

“It’s their prerogative. That would be a tool in waking up his people. If it fits to improve the services that we will give to the community, we will adopt accordingly,” he said. — Grace Melanie I. Lacamiento/JMO (FREEMAN)