AS he is set to fly overseas for a forum today, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña has delegated Councilor Dave Tumulak to handle security concerns in the city.
He reiterated his concern on last Friday’s bombing incident in Davao City and that other areas in the country may also be at risk.
“I have no plans (with the police). I’m just worried about the (bombing incident). I will let Tumulak handle the problem,” Osmeña said in a quick interview yesterday.
Tumulak, who heads the city council’s committee on public order and safety, said he will be attending a meeting called by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) today regarding President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement of a State of Lawless Violence in the country following the Davao bombing.
Tumulak said the meeting will be at the Police Regional Office at Camp Sergio Osmeña at 1pm.
He said he supports the president’s declaration.
“It’s the prerogative of the president. Although in the city, the peace and order situation is not so alarming. But it is still for the protection of the public,” he said.
Tumulak said that right after the president’s declaration, he had been receiving constant information and updates regarding the police and military efforts in Cebu like the conduct of checkpoints, among others. He said since last night, additional military personnel were deployed in Cebu.
He said that although the government’s moves have so far been all reactionary, he admitted that it is still difficult to deal with the Abu Sayyaf.
“We really need to resolve our differences. But since the Abu Sayyaf are considered lawless elements, I’m still supporting the government’s moves to go after them since they have a different goal in their lives,” he added.
Mayor Osmeña offered Tumulak to be his deputy mayor on police matters but he saidhe hasn’t formally accepted it pending discussions.
Tumulak also said that both the Cebu City Government and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) already have their respective security plans for possible eventualities although it is confidential.
Taiwan
Osmeña will be flying to Kaohsiung, Taiwan today to attend the 2016 Global Harbour Cities Forum which will be until Thursday.
The mayor will be accompanied by Nagiel Bañacia, city hall’s public information officer and head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO).
Osmeña said he was personally invited by officials from Kaohsiung and that he had to attend the forum since Cebu City has sister city ties with Kaohsiung.
The forum aims to be a platform for international cooperation among harbor cities and to also address the sustainable economic growth of harbor cities in the world.