Construction of modern crime laboratory in Cebu completed

Police Chief Supt. Augusto Marquez Jr. (second from right) with Chief Supt. Emmanuel Aranas (right) attend the blessing and inauguration of the “mega” police crime laboratory building in Sudlon, Barangay Lahug. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

A new “mega” police crime laboratory for the entire Visayas region was inaugurated in Cebu City yesterday by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Built on a lot behind the Cebu Provincial Police Office in Sudlon Lahug, the crime lab which broke ground in 2014 cost the Aquino administration P25 million to build and took two years to complete. It replaces the older PNP crime laboratory in Camp Sotero Cabahug, Gorordo Avenue.

According to Chief Supt. Augusto Marquez Jr., acting director of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management in Camp Crame, the new police laboratory will make the processing of crime scenes faster and easier in the Visayas region.

Described by police authorities as “very modern,” the laboratory will have P49.8 million worth of equipment installed while DNA testing kits will also be provided.

With the opening of the modern laboratory, police investigators no longer have to go all the way to Camp Crame to have crime scene forensic evidence processed.

“Yung aim ng PNP (The aim of PNP) is to modernize, to give the tools and equipment to all our investigators that’s why sabi nga nila (they say) we don’t want our investigators to go to Camp Crame and process everything there because Camp Crame will go to them,” Marquez said.

He added that the PNP’s goal is to have one crime laboratory for every region in the country.

The new crime lab in Central Visayas is part of a P100-million project of the previous administration to construct anti-crime facilities for the PNP in Calabarzon (Region IV-A), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Davao and Camp Crame.

“The crime laboratory represents justice and integrity. Kaya naniniwala sa inyo ang mga judges sa court and of course, yung trust ng tao (That is why judges in court believe you and the people trust you),” Marquez told policemen who attended the inauguration of the crime lab yesterday.

“ If you fail in any of these, there is no more PNP. Wala na tayong trust ng tao (We would lose the people’s trust),” warned Marquez.

The new crime laboratory was built on a lot donated by the Cebu Provincial Capitol.

Marquez expressed hopes that the province can donate one more lot to the PNP to build a Visayas field unit for the Women and Children’s Protection Center (WCPC).