Cebu City Police ready to implement caroling ban

A young street caroler does her thing unmindful of the dangers she’s facing on the busy street in this December 2018 photo. CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Law enforcers here are ready to implement the order of the city government to ban street caroling this December.

Police Major Randy Caballes, chief of the City Intelligence Branch (CIB), said the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) recently received a copy of the executive order (EO) of Mayor Edgardo Labella, prohibiting street caroling starting December 16.

Caballes said they will only arrest violators of the new law if they resist instructions from the police to disperse or stop doing street carols while the city is still under community quarantine.

“We will not immediately and necessarily arrest the violators. We will first remind them not to conduct street caroling. If they will not abide by the orders, we will arrest them under grounds of Article 151 (of the Revised Penal Code) which is disobedience against authority,” explained Caballes.

Labella on Tuesday, November 10, issued executive order (EO) No. 104, outrightly banning street caroling starting December 16 until the first week of January 2021 due to health concerns.

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The caroling ban would also apply even to private areas such as subdivisions, condominiums, and other establishments.

The CCPO and other law enforcers in the city were directed to implement the order.

For their part, Caballes assured that CCPO has enough warm bodies to monitor various areas in the city for street carolers.

“Our key here is to closely coordinate with the barangays and our police stations, mobile foot patrols. We also have the Task Force Kasaligan to help us,” he added. /rcg