STRAIGHT TO THE POINT: Why is the Inayawan Brgy. Capt. uncooperative with the PNP?

Atty. Ruphil Bañoc

Inayawan Barangay Captain Kirk Bryan Repollo demolished the galvanized fence being built up by the contractor of a police station’s building. He also threatened Police Regional office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director Brigadier General Debold Sinas and Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera of court cases.

With this, I ask my staff to find ways so I could interview Repollo in my radio program. Unfortunately, the latter refused to be interviewed.

Garganera, for his part, said he is willing to face squarely Repollo in court.

As chairman of the Police Advisory Council, the councilor narrated their efforts to establish an additional police station in Barangay Inayawan. He said that Pardo Police Station that has jurisdiction over Inayawan is the smallest police station, but it has a wider coverage in Cebu City.

Hence, they see the urgency of establishing a bigger police station. It took them time to find a lot within Barangay Pardo until finally they found one in Barangay Inayawan.

The former barangay Captain Lotlot Ignacio, with the authority of the council, donated the 500-square meter lot to the PNP.

The contractor was about to start the project, but it was being stopped by Repollo. He reasoned out that the police station can cause traffic in the area.

In fairness to Repollo, I read the communication-letters between him and General Sinas. He offered another lot at the inner portion of the barangay for the police station to be built.

General Sinas in his reply-letter cited at least 3 reasons for not accepting the offered lot, to wit: 1. The legal team of the PNP noticed that the lot offered is onerous; 2. the already donated lot is very strategic following the principle of police visibility; 3. there is already a budget for the project to be built specifically on the donated lot, so as to avoid technicalities given the fact it involves government money.

Sinas further explained during the press conference that the project cannot cause traffic as the engineers carefully studied to put set back on the building. Colonel Royina Garma, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director, also pointed out the necessity of putting up a police station in the area as the barangay is infested with illegal drugs, and it is located next to Tangke Talisay.

So why does Repollo seem to be uncooperative with the police when they are all government servants?

Repollo, himself a lawyer, knows that in cases civil in nature, settlement between the parties is even encouraged. Why can he not initiate an amicable settlement especially that his barangay, being identified as drug infested, really needs police presence?

Does Repollo not realize that, based on record, the biggest value of shabu was confiscated few meters from his barangay hall? Why does he dwell on an imagined traffic problem than on the factual drug problem?

If he is sincere as a public servant, why is he not giving priority to solving the drug problems in his barangay? Why blame the police instead of commending them for the confiscation of huge amount of shabu in his very own barangay?

I do not subscribe to the allegation that Repollo is involved in illegal drug trade, much more being a protector, in the absence of any evidence. But many of my radio listeners smelled something fishy on his actions.