Emano asked: Where’s the intelligence fund?

CITY Councilor Edgar Cabanlas urged Mayor Vicente Emano to move the intelligence fund the City Government has allocated following what the former calls a breakdown of the peace and order in Cagayan de Oro.

Despite appeals from different civil society groups in Cagayan de Oro to stop or the least contain the armed robberies and killings, another two individuals have fallen victims to the crime wave on Wednesday.

Still unidentified suspects carted away personal and company money amounting to more than P100,000 from two victims.

Cabanlas blamed these on Emano for taking the problem lightly, adding that instead of passing the blame to political rivals for instigating the crime, the mayor should have his hands on it.

“Mora og nahimo na man kitang kubalan sa mga panghitabo (It’s like we are getting calloused with the situation),” Cabanlas said.

The councilor said that based on reports, the city has allocated of P65-million annual intelligence fund.

“And where did this fund go?” Cabanlas asked following the admission of former Cagayan de Oro Police (Cocpo) City Director Gerardo Rosales that Cocpo has not been receiving “any amount” from the intelligence fund to help them solve crimes in the city.

Rosales is now assigned as provincial police director at Lanao del Norte.

Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya, chair of the committee on police, fire and public safety, said his committee has been meeting with all the police station commanders to look for solution to the publicly perceived as an unprecedented crime wave in the city.

Business and civil society groups also raised their concern in a forum on Wednesday over the spate of criminalities.

Police Regional Director Catalino Rodriguez said that theft, physical injuries and robbery are the most prevalent crimes in the city.

He said Cagayan de Oro has the third most cases in the region with Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental ranked first and second, respectively.

Police Superintendent Graciano Mijares said they are conducting checkpoints three to four hours a day at different exit points and areas in the city.

Bu he admitted that the hours spent in conducting checkpoint may not be enough as they also have to respond to emergencies.

“I’ll take full responsibility to the solution of the problem,” Mijares said.

In the same forum on Wednesday, City Councilor Roger Abaday asked Mijares on the City Government’s support to the city police hitting the P70 million intelligence fund of Emano.

Mijares said they have yet to receive any logistical support from the intelligence fund, but they have been receiving assistance from the City Government on the maintenance of police vehicles and office supplies.