Personnel from the Special Weapons and Tactics team have been deployed to augment security around Cebu City. The team will do the rounds of checking critical areas, especially those that are prone to crimes.
Senior Inspector Arieza Otida, deputy chief of the Police Community Relations office and spokesman of the Cebu City Police Office, said the team’s priority will be those areas where people frequent.
“Between 1 to 5 a.m. na ilang deployment ari sa places like restobars and malls… mao na iya (Cebu City Police chief Royina Garma) instruction… and usa na sila ka team mo-duty. Ang ilaha ang immediate response. Mag-roving all over the city ang ilaha. Puwede arresting, but i-refer to the station concerned. Ang station na mo-file for the case, but sila na arresting officer,” he said.
The increased police visibility has been the priority of Senior Superintendent Royina Garma upon her assumption as CCPO director. Her order for more street patrols stemmed from her dismay upon learning that only few policemen were assigned in the downtown area, particularly along Colon Street.
The deployment of SWAT team personnel can be considered as a response by the police to Mayor Tomas Osmeña’s decision withdrawing funds for maintenance of the 90 vehicles that the city issued to the CCPO.
Osmeña said he has no plan of reinstating the police vehicle maintenance although he welcomed the deployment of mope cops. That is expected considering the ongoing spat between the mayor and the local police leadership.
The strengthened police visibility can certainly boost public confidence and trust in the authorities amid the killings, especially of suspected drug personalities, that are blamed largely on policemen.
It also sends a message to City Hall that the police can always take charge of maintaining peace and order even without the assistance of the local government unit. Of course, with or without the support of the LGU, police can always be expected to continue doing their jobs because it’s their mandate to protect the people.