Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, CCPO director, reminds the public to strictly adhere to the city’s health protocols as they will also be stern in their implementation.
CEBU CITY, Philippines— The Cebu City Police Office or CCPO has warned barangay officials in the city that they will turn to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) if they will still continue to rescue minors especially inside internet cafes in the barangays.
Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) chief, said he would give all officials of 80 barangays in the city until Monday, August 30, to monitor and ensure the closure of internet cafes.
Ligan said if not then, he would submit a formal report to the DILG, who had administrative control of the barangays.
“Ang DILG man ang naay hold sa mga local government units. Sila ang nag supervise sa mga local government units,” he said.
(The DILG are the one who has the hold on the local government units. They are the ones who supervice the local government units.)
“So if ever naa silay makita nga lapses from the barangays based sa report nga himuon sa police, so sila ang makabuot og unsay further sanctions or actions ba ron nga dapat buhaton sa respective barangay officials,” said Ligan
(So if ever they see lapses from the barangays based from the report made by the police, then they can implement what proper sanctions or what further actions that the respective barangay officials should make.)
Increasing number of rescues
The warning came after Cebu City policemen recorded increasing rescues mostly inside internet cafes in the barangays of minors, who violated health protocols in the city.
Aside from that, he said that internet cafes were still open in the barangays, which should be closed according to an executive order issued by the mayor when the city was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).
“If ever naa pa gyuy minors these coming days nga madakpan diha sa inyong barangay (in the coming days), we will be compelled to make a formal report and will be addressed to DILG since the DILG has this administrative control over these barangay officials,” Ligan said.
“Kung unsa may makita sa DILG, adto na sila managot para gyud pod nga mapugos gyud ang barangay nga e monitor or magbutang silang barangay ordinance,” he said.
(Whatever the DILG will see, they will have to answer there so that the barangay officials will be forced to monitor or make a barangay ordinance [on this].)
“Labi na ning mga internetan nga di na gyud na nila ipa-open kay mao man gyud na amoang nakita nga cause nga maoy manggawas,” Ligan added.
(Especially the internet cafes that should not be opened because those were the cause they [the children] will go out.)
CCPO on brgy intervention
However, police and barangay officials have already coordinated with each other where the latter have daily assessments on the apprehensions in their barangays.
Ligan also cited concerns on the increasing trend of minors rescued for violating protocols especially those staying inside internet cafes.
He said these had become a recurring problem of the police since August 1 when Cebu City had been placed under MECQ.
Police have found the trend alarming, considering that COVID-19 cases here in the city has already included children.
Ligan also said that prohibiting minors from going outside could also keep them away from being exploited in illegal drug activities especially since some children were also being used as drug couriers.
He said that the intervention from the barangays would help in keeping efforts against COVID-19 efficient.
He, however, said that the formal report that they planned to submit to the DILG if ever the barangays would not cooperate with them, would state facts and figures that a certain barangay had rescues of minors despite efforts in enforcement.
He also said that it would be up to the DILG on how they would respond to this concern.
Initial data of the police showed that they had at least 15 urban barangays here where many minors were rescued in the last 27 days.
He, however, did not name the specific barangays and the number of minors rescued.
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