TF Kasaligan members resume ‘backup’ duties for Cebu City cops

Members of Task force KASALIGAN or TF Kasaligan as they receive last minute instructions before their deployment from Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), at the CCPO grounds on Thursday, February 4. | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Task Force Kasaligan (TF Kasaligan) members are called back to duty as they start to deploy today to augment Cebu City police forces in enforcing health protocols in the city.

The 110 members of TF Kasaligan (Kaluwasan sa mga Amigo Cops ug Sugbuanon Ang Gusto sa Atong Liderato nga Ipatuman Gumikan sa hulga sa COVID-19 Alang Natong Tanan) would be distributed to the 9 out of the 11 police stations in the city today, February 4, 2021, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police office (CCPO) during a press briefing today, February 4.

Look: TF Kasaligan members receive last minute instructions before deployment

Parilla said that two police stations — Station 7 (Pardo) and Station 8 (Talamban) — were not included in the TF Kasilagan members’ deployment because these areas had minimal cases of COVID-19 and had fewer establishments serving liquor.

He said that most of the task force members would focus on the areas where COVID cases were high such as in Barangays Guadalupe, Labangon and Mabolo.

Read: Task Force Kasaligan ready for deployment

TF Kasaligan was activated last September 8, 2020 where the recruits, mostly unemployed graduates of Criminology courses, were trained and deployed for four months or from September to December 2020 to augment the city’s police force to implement mostly health protocols and quarantine rules.

These included helping implement the wearing of face masks and those regulations under executive ordinances issued by the city mayor including the latest regarding the liquor ban.

The task force members, however. could not apprehend quarantine violators but they could only back up the two police officers (team leaders) assigned to a team, said Parilla.

He said that they would add more members of the task force since they were continuing the recruitment of more people for the group.

He said that task force members would be paid P9,000 a month and they would be deployed indefinitely this time.

Read: CCPO urges Bachelor’s degree holders to join TF KASALIGAN

Task Force Kasaligan will support the implementation of the minimum health protocols such as not wearing face masks and those regulations under the executive ordinances issued by the City Mayor including the latest regarding the liquor ban.

On the city’s liquor ban, Parilla said that they had already conducted their information dissemination of the executive order issued by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella through their Oplan Recorrida on Wednesday, February 2.

He said this would raise awareness to people and establishment owners that serving and consuming liquor inside their establishments and in public areas would be prohibited.

Parilla said that starting today, February 4, they would apprehend those who would violate the health and security protocols implemented in the city.

Read: Liquor ban imposed once again in Cebu City