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Tuesday, July 23, 2002
Some mayors want control over police
By Aledel A. Gonzales
SOME mayors from Region 7 want the police to be under the supervision of the local government units (LGUs).
Based on a survey conducted by Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Ouano, mayors prefer controlling the police since they know best the peace and order situation in their areas.
Ouano, chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), submitted these comments to President Arroyo in the recent meeting of the RPOC and the Regional Development Council in Bohol last week.
Although Ouano prefers the LGUs’ supervision on the police, it should only apply to highly urbanized cities, which have enough resources to finance police operations.
Should this be done, he added, swift action may be imposed on erring policemen and the mayor’s directives are quickly followed.
With this set-up, policemen’s salaries will be standardized.
Forms were sent to at least 130 mayors, but the mayor only received less than half of that number in responses.
One of those was from Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who said the police should be under the control of the mayor because “he is accountable to the people.”
Mayor Jose Torralba of Tagbilaran City, Bohol expressed his disappointment that the “allegiance of the police is somewhere else.”
“Many of our constituents knew little that the control and supervision of the police force is not within our authority and yet when peace and order is at risk, the mayor is blamed for the inefficiencies and ineffectiveness of the police,” Torralba stated in his response.
Siquijor Mayor Fidelito Avanzado had the same sentiment and said mayors should have control over the police “since we get the blame.”
Mayor Antonio Renacia of Sibulan, Negros Oriental posed no objection to the supervision of the police by the LGU, but he said the issue is “not much of an urgent concern” in his municipality.
“We have very cooperative and supportive police force and thus far, our working relation with them has been unquestionably smooth and effective,” he said.
Ouano received a report that Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina is meeting the mayors of Metro Manila to discuss the matter.
He will request Lina to conduct the same gathering with Metro Cebu mayors. |
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