Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak (center) wants the police to use digital radios during operations. With him are Cebu City Police chief Senior Supt. Joel Doria (right) and Chief Insp. Christopher Navida, head of the Cebu City Intelligence Branch, at a press conference.
CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO
Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak is lobbying for the purchase of two ultra high frequency (UHF) digital radio repeaters that can be used by the police.
“This time mo-shift ta sa digital. Because digital is an ultra high frequency, lisod kopyahon ang frequency (This time we will shift to digital. Because the digital radio repeater has an ultra high frequency which is the frequency that is difficult to copy),” Tumulak said.
The lawmaker said drug pushers nowadays use advanced technology to monitor police operations.
He brought the matter up with Mayor Tomas Osmeña for the latter’s approval.
Tumulak added that at present, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) uses analog radio frequency.
He said analog radios are easy to tap — all a person has to do is press the frequency number and he can then catch the frequency the police uses.
“So in digital it’s different. Dili ma-jam, dili usab na makuha dayon ang frequency (It will not be easily jammed and it’s difficult to get its frequency),” Tumulak said.
He said it’s tested and proven.
Tumulak claimed that based on their monitoring, criminals like drug pushers, are tapping the frequency of the police.
He said if the police will use digital frequencies, then their operations will not be monitored by criminals.
In Lapu-Lapu City, three hand-held radios were recovered from a couple who were allegedly involved in illegal drugs.
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA-7) Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz said the husband and wife tandem used the hand-held radios to monitor the operations of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO).
Tumulak said one digital radio repeater costs more or less P200,000, and a digital hand-held radio costs between P30,000 to P40,000.
He admitted that digital radios would be costly but it will be an asset in maintaining peace and order in the city.