More cops to be sent to Inayawan amid dispute over new police station in the barangay

CEBU CITY, Philippines – More police will be deployed in Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City amid the tension between law enforcers and the village chief over the construction of a new police station in the barangay.

Colonel Royina Garma, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they considered Barangay Inayawan as a “critical area” in terms of the distribution of illegal drugs in Metro Cebu.

“Dagdagan natin yung mga tawo. It’s a critical location when it comes sa illegal drugs kasi it is situated right next to Barangay Tangke, Talisay City na naging notorious due to proliferation of illegal drugs,” said Garma.

“And yung Inayawan kasi, it’s the boundary between Talisay City and Cebu City so talagang critical area siya,” she added.

The tension between the police and Inayawan Barangay Captain Kirk Bryan Repollo escalated when the latter ordered barangay workers to demolish the fence surrounding the construction site of the new Pardo Police Station (Cebu City Police Station 7) last Tuesday, March 5. 

This developed two days after law enforcers confiscated  some P190-million worth of illegal drugs from two suspects in Fatima Homes in Barangay Inayawan on Sunday, March 3.

READ MORE: P190M shabu recovered, four arrested in twin drug busts in Cebu City and Consolacion town

Police accused Repollo of blocking their plans to construct the new Pardo Police Station, which costs P5 million and was expected to be completed between March and April this year.

Repollo, on the other hand, said he offered an alternative site for the construction of the new police station citing possible traffic problems that may arise in the area once the station will be operational.

He also said the former officials of Barangay Inayawan failed to secure an authorization from the village council for then village chief Lutherlee Ignacio-Soon to sign a deed of donation for the lot in favor of the CCPO.