Cebu City Police Office director, Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, could not hide her dismay upon learning that there were no policemen manning the downtown area, particularly Colon Street, during her inspection on Friday.
The newly-installed city police director held Parian Police Station chief, Senior Inspector Caesar Acompañado, accountable for his failure to maintain police visibility along Colon and relieved him as station head.
For decades, Colon has been a magnet for criminals as it hosts large crowds every day. Because it is home to countless establishments and is the destination of thousands going to the downtown area, it has become a dangerous area, especially at night.
Hardly a day goes by without pickpocketing, snatching, and other petty crimes occurring along Colon Street. Even serious crimes often take place along the famous street and its neighboring areas.
A few years ago, a trader who had just dropped off his children at school was ambushed early morning along Osmeña Boulevard near Colon. It was just one of those heinous crimes that occurred in the downtown area that authorities were not able to prevent.
Many blame the lack of police visibility for the surge in crime in the area. In fact, for years, Colon Street has earned the notoriety of being the most perilous area in Cebu City as it becomes a haven for snatchers, pickpockets, and swindlers, among others.
Colon is a historic place not only for being the oldest street in the country but for being the nucleus of Cebu’s economic activity for centuries as well. Despite the city’s massive urbanization, Colon and the downtown area continue to hold the distinction of being the center of everything.
To preserve Colon is not just to beautify and maintain it the way Europeans treat their iconic streets. Sustaining its image includes guaranteeing the safety and security of the thousands who visit it every day. That is why police visibility should be a necessity.