Fifteen patrol cars that were earlier recalled by Mayor Tomas Osmeña would be distributed to eight barangays and the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).
Osmeña chose the barangays that would be given the patrol cars, said Nagiel Banacia, Cebu City Public Information Office head, during an interview yesterday.
The eight barangays out of the 80 barangays in the city that would receive the Toyota Hilux patrol car are Talamban, Mabolo, Lahug, Capitol Site, Tejero, Guadalupe, Labangon and Kinasang-an.
The remaining seven patrol cars will be given to CCTO.
Banacia said that the mayor considered the barangay’s population and police operations conducted there in choosing the barangays.
There would be no official turnover of the vehicles but all the respective barangay officials would coordinate with the General Services Office (GSO).
“As long as naa na ang taga-barangay, makuha na na nila. We’ll coordinate with them for proper documentation,” said Banacia.
Despite the mayor being stripped of his authority over the police, Banacia said barangay captains also had the responsibility to take care of the peace and order in their localities.
He, however, said that the patrol cars could still be given to the police through the barangays and it would be the barangay captain’s decision if he would allow the use of the vehicle to the police.
“If the policemen want to use the patrol cars, we’ll leave it to the barangay captain to decide,” Bañacia said.
He, however, pointed out that the policemen would accompany CCTO personnel when they use the patrol cars, which meant that the policemen could also use the patrol cars.