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Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Council calls more action on crime spree
By Danilo V. Adorador III
Correspondent
THE series of violent heists that killed a number of innocent civilians in Cagayan de Oro City's downtown areas have finally caught the attention of the City Council.
Council members voiced grave concern Monday on the city's security, calling on the police for more action citing the growing incidence of criminal activities occurring even in Cagayan de Oro's busiest districts.
In his special report, Peace and Order Committee chairman, Councilor Alvin Calingin called for the restoration of a scheme giving incentives to civilians and policemen who can apprehend snatchers, thieves and robbers in the city.
The scheme, Calingin said, was implemented during the stint of former acting city police director Antonio Montalba but had been discontinued by present Cagayan de Oro Police Office (Cocpo) chief Senior Superintendent Honorio Cervantes.
"This scheme should be restored because it was found to be very effective," Calingin told Council members.
Lone opposition councilor and broadcaster Zaldy Ocon underscored Calingin's proposal, taking exception to Cocpo's police visibility program that he described as "non-existent."
But Ocon refused to blame the police if it is incapable of deploying more of its personnel in the streets.
"Around 50 to 60 of our policemen spend their day attending to their cases in courts, so how could there be police in the streets?" Ocon said in the dialect.
Last Tuesday, three robbers gunned down in broad daylight a trader from Bukidnon province for refusing give up his cash after withdrawing from a Union Bank branch this city.
Alexander Wabe, 48, was brought to the hospital after the robbers shot his left arm when he resisted his attackers. He has been declared safe and out of danger.
On Wednesday last week, passengers of a jeep liner were also held up and robbed along Gusa national highway.
A series of motorela robbery were also recorded last week wherein victimized passengers suspected the drivers to be in collusion with the suspects.
Zyrell Cataran, 27, a rice trader and his helper, Dennis Lagno, 30 were robbed by their co-passengers inside a motorela along Barangay Agusan, this city last Friday.
Three cellphones were divested from the victims and around P5,000 cash.
The previous day, Bryan Tribaco, 22, reported to the Bulua Police Station that he was robbed of his P6,000 by an armed suspect inside a motorela in Barangay Patag.
The most fatal street crime related attacks came last Thursday and Saturday last week resulting to the deaths of the victims.
The violent assaults happened in supposedly well-lighted and busy streets within the down town area.
Brothers Edgar, 62, and Virgilio Pineda were stabbed by still unidentified number of assailants Thursday along Montalban-Capistrano streets.
Edgar died the next day after he sustained a stab wound at the left portion of his chest.
Virgilio, meanwhile, underwent a medical operation at the Polymedic General Hospital but later died Tuesday.
On Saturday, a 21-year-old Night Cafe reveler was stabbed to death after trying to fight off the three robbers who later divested him of his cell phone and cash.
Austin Mabao, a native of Iligan City, tried to resist the robbers who held him up and his unidentified female companion while walking the Hayes-Rizal streets Saturday dawn.
Doctors at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) said Mabao sustained stab wounds at the chest and at the back portion of his body, resulting to his his death.
A police manhunt resulted to the capture of two of Mabao's robbers Sunday.
Acting City Council presiding officer, Councilor Edgar Cabanlas, noted that "criminals are becoming more bold in committing crimes." Councilor Cabanlas likewise urged the police to "take drastic measure" on the rising criminal activities in the city.
(June 22, 2005 issue)
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