Police eye expanding presence in Talisay’s mountain barangays

PRO 7 Director Debold Sinas (left) and Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam”  Gullas (right) updates the media on their plans f. | Alven Marie Timtim

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police are planning to expand their presence in the mountain barangays in Talisay City by setting up police community precincts (PCPs) in these areas.

However, Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director, said this plan would be implemented only after a thorough study would be done about it.

Sinas said he suggested this plan to Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas during his visit on July 5 to the Talisay City Hall.

Sinas paid a visit to Gullas after the turnover ceremony of the new police chief of the city.

Police Major Orlando Carag Jr. replaces Lieutenant Colonel Marlu Conag as the new Talisay City Police chief.

Conag and five other non-uniformed police officer were the only ones not relieved from their post at the Talisay Police Station on September 2018 by Sinas after President Rodrigo Duterte in a visit to Cebu said that most police officers in Talisay City were involved in the illegal drug trade.

Read more: ALL TALISAY COPS RELIEVED

During his July 5 visit to Mayor Gullas,  Sinas emphasized the importance of having PCPs in the mountain barangays of the city.

“There are areas, lalo na katong mga bukid nga part nga kailangan nato og PCP para naay Police presence,” said Sinas.

(There are areas especially the mountain barangays that will need a PCP to have a police presence there.)

With the police force focusing on the urban side of the city, he said that police presence should be expanded to the mountain areas because these areas were still part of their responsibility.

“As we observed, katong naa sa mga bukid maglisod ug magreport kay layo kaayo nga manaog,” added Sinas. 

(As we observed, those in the mountain areas had find it hard to report any concern because of the distance of the police station from their areas.)

Sinas said with the PCPs in these mountain areas, then the residents would not have to worry about traveling to the city proper to report their concerns.

He, however, said that the proposed project would still need further study, before they would the plan into action.

He also said the proposed project would also be done one at a time if given the go signal to implement it, and after positive results from a thorough study about it.

Mayor Gullas, for his part, said that he would support the police peace and order plans in the community./dbs