An order issued by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena to cut the budget for repairs and maintenance of city-owned vehicles issued to the city police has not been implemented yet.
Ronald Malacora, City Hall’s Department of General Services (DGS) chief, said the city government continued to fund the repairs and maintenance of vehicles used by the police.
“There will be a meeting between Councilors Dave Tumulak and Margot Osmeña, and Senior Supt. Royina Garma (Cebu City Police Office director) regarding on the matter so we have not implemented the order yet,” Malacora said.
Last August, Mayor Osmeña threatened to stop the city government’s support to the police if they fail to deploy and integrate operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) with the Mobile Partrol Group (MPG) in order to deter crimes in the city.
The city spends P40,000 to P50,000 annually for maintenance of every patrol vehicle owned by the city that is issued to the police.