Mayor Rama wants police outpost near City Hall transferred

Dismayed by the discovery of a  drug den operating across the street from City Hall, Cebu City Mayor  Michael Rama said two police outposts should be transferred.

He said he wants to move out the  Cebu City tourist police unit stationed in front of City Hall.

Rama also wants to transfer the Cebu City Police Station 5,  located inside  Carbon Market, to an area near the old Compania Maritima building lot.

An NBI-7 agent inspects one of the rented rooms of a drug den across the street from Cebu City Hall during the raid. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

“They were so near the (drug den) and they didn’t know it was there. Let’s not talk about the small things they’ve done because they weren’t able to spot the bigger activities,” Rama told reporters via telephone conference yesterday.

Last Wednesday, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) raided the shanty  used as a drug den and  arrested three persons.

The rented house was being frequented for years by drug users, including some government employees who would  walk over from City Hall.

Despite several police operations, it was never  shut down until the NBI conducted the raid.

Rama said removing the tourist police outpost also called the  Community Police Action Center (Compact) would also  improve the Plaza Sugbo grounds in front of City Hall.  He said the outpost blocks the view of  City Hall, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño and  Magellan’s Cross gazebo.

He said he already talked about the planned transfer with the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) and Police Coordinating and Advisory Council.

He said the  Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (CCCI), through its Adopt-a-Station Program, would  fund a  new building in the old Compania Maritima lot.