Osmeña stands firm on P50K additional bounty

Tells Garganera: Why not sue the President?

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña is determined to push through with his plan of dangling an additional P50,000 for anyone who can liquidate a ‘ninja-cop’ or policemen involved in illegal activities.

The mayor’s offer is on top of President Rodrigo Duterte’s P5-million bounty which the chief executive announced last week.

Osmeña’s offer drew criticisms from opposition Councilor Joel Garganera, who said doing so would lead to a culture of ‘violence and chaos,’ and warnings from several human-watch organizations, including the Commission on Human Rights Central Visayas (CHR-7).

In turn, Osmeña slammed critics, particularly Garganera.

“Why, when the police shoot our people is not violence? That’s his version of our peace and order, and get shot by the police that’s OK? I don’t agree with him,” Osmeña told reporters in a press briefing yesterday.

The mayor, who has been at odds with the police in Cebu after receiving reports that some law enforcers were allegedly behind the spate of killings in the city, announced on Saturday (August 18) that he is willing to offer P50,000 as cash reward for anyone who could kill a rogue cop.

‘Sue the President’

It came a day after President Duterte decided to increase his reward for anyone who can kill scalawags in uniform from P3 million to a whopping P5 million during a speech in Davao City on Friday (August 17).

“(The giving of cash reward) is symbolical. The President decides to give P5 million, and I give P50,000. Why don’t Garganera sue the President for promoting violence?” Osmeña added.

While Garganera, the CHR-7, and the Commission on Laity opposed the move of the mayor, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgar Labella, who is allied with the opposition Barug Team Rama, supported it.

Labella, however, underscored the need for validation and supporting evidence on the cops that will be accused.

He also said that the initiative of the mayor and the President is a timely one with reports that some members of the police force are involved in unlawful activities such as illegal drugs trade.

On the other hand, Osmeña said he has yet to come up with a specific plan on how the P50,000 cash reward will be released.

“It’s for Cebu only. It depends. I think it will be a case-to-case basis because I cannot tell the future , what’s the next case be like. Basta if the President makes an award, apil ko (I’ll join),” he explained.

Aside from Osmeña, other Cebu mayors are also backing the President’s bounty offer in order to cleanse the police force of rotten eggs.

They include Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron and Tabogon Mayor Zigfred Duterte.