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Friday, September 30, 2005
Tom wants to split Duljo-Fatima, labels barangay chief as ‘inutile’
Frustrated by Duljo-Fatima officials’ alleged failure to cooperate in the fight against crime, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña will push for the division of the barangay into two.
He made the decision after City Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. complained that the barangay’s officials don’t seem to care about problems on illegal drugs, illegal gambling and fraternity-related killings.
He said Barangay Captain Miguel Cabatino would only promise to do something about the situation but couldn’t produce results.
“The barangay captain there is inutile in handling the situation. If he can’t do it, he should resign,” the mayor said of Cabatino, who is allied with his party, Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).
He said the Fatima side of the barangay is “OK,” but the Duljo side is so fragmented that it has always been a problem.
He said Cabatino is “pleasant, but that’s not what we’re looking for” in a barangay chief.
Cabatino, in a separate interview with Sun.Star Cebu, denied he’s being negligent.
“We might have our shortcomings, but it doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything,” he said. He has already told members of the Oplan Pakigsandurot that barangay officials and tanods are monitored in their operations, he said.
“The mayor seems to be pitting us against each other. I’m doing something. I don’t tolerate illegal activities,” he said, adding that City Hall could be suspicious of the barangay officials for not informing them of operations in Duljo-Fatima.
Pe said the barangay officials’ inaction is “suspicious”, hinting that drug dealers and video carrera operators could be their friends or relatives.
The mayor, for his part, said splitting the barangay into two, which the City Council can do, will focus the barangay officials’ attention on a smaller area.
He said a team of 20 tanods for each barangay is enough to maintain peace and order.
Osmeña said Duljo-Fatima officials should start doing their job or the barangay will suffer the same fate as that of Barangay Lorega-San Miguel.
The City Government closed Lorega-San Miguel’s abattoir over the barangay officials’ alleged lack of cooperation in the campaign against illegal drugs. (RHM)
(September 30, 2005 issue)
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