CEBU, Philippines – The Dumaguete City Police, headed by Superintendent Jovito Atanacio, yesterday established officially the city’s first police substation at Barangay Cadawinonan, headed by Senior Inspector Philipedes Sillero.
The opening ceremony of the police substation was attended by Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria and Cadawinonan Barangay Chair Gilieta Josy Binondo, who said it was a necessity made real to address the worsening drug problem in the area.
The substation’s jurisdiction also covers barangays Camanjac, Candau-ay, Talay, Northern Junob, Balugo and parts of Bajumpandan.
Sagarbarria said Dumaguete has been working to transform the City Police Station into a City Police Office, which would need more organic policemen under the Negros Island Region. The mayor, in supporting the police, earlier issued a vehicle for their use, and appropriated P2 million to buy two more new vehicles for the city police.
The city police is at present undermanned with only 104 policemen, or one policeman for every 1,500 residents, far from the ideal ration of one for every 175, for a city like Dumaguete.
Atanacio had planned to establish five substations, under his quadrant security approach, which would decentralize the city police to reduce the response time during emergencies and calls for assistance. He added that this long-term plan would also bring the police closer to the barangays.
Sillero responded by saying he accepted the challenge of Atanacio to make the first police substation work under the principle of triple M (Makita, Maramdaman, at Mapag-usapan, following respect for human rights and the safety and welfare of the communities it covers.
Sillero also asked for the help and cooperation of residents in the area. His deputy is Senior Police Officer 2 Harvey Cuasito, and the substation is also manned with an administrative and supply officer, four intelligence operatives, two desk and traffic investigators, two desk/jail guards, four mobile crew, four members of the quick response team, seven police auxiliaries, and all the tanods of Cadawinonan.
Atanacio, meanwhile, announced that the Negros Island Region has an additional quota for 300 police recruits, and he called any interested men to become police officers to visit his office for his recommendation. — Juancho R. Gallarde (FREEMAN)