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Friday, September 22, 2006
Supervision of cops lax, region chief confirms
After noting that most field trainees lacked supervision and orientation, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. and his staff officers conducted field inspections in Metro Cebu yesterday afternoon.
At the Capitol, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said it is “ironic” that robberies are occurring at this time, when over 1,000 additional police operatives are in Cebu in preparation for the Asean summit.
Garcia called on the Philippine National Police to make every day a dry run for the summit in December.
The reinforcement units must change their mindset that they are here only for the four-day Asean, the governor said, “otherwise, it will be a huge waste of government resources, time and not to mention opportunity.”
She called for a meeting with Alarcio yesterday afternoon to discuss not just the needed change of attitude, but also changes in the procedure of deployment.
“(Every day) they must treat all Cebuanos and value them just as highly as any foreign delegate. We must love ourselves before we love our neighbors, for this is what the Cebuanos deserve,” she said.
Familiarity
Alarcio later saw for himself what the governor meant.
During his inspection, Alarcio saw the lack of supervision when he dropped by the Cebu North Bus Terminal at the Mandaue City reclamation area and talked to PO1 Jommel Escareal.
Although his tone was gentle, his message was clear: he meant business.
Escareal was supposed to have a partner in his assignment, but when Alarcio asked him where his partner was, Escareal admitted that his partner left to take his lunch.
They were supposed to return to the post by 1 p.m., but Alarcio pointed to his watch and showed the policeman that it was already 2:15 p.m.
Alarcio also asked him if he knew the manager of the terminal, what barangay they were in and who the barangay captain is.
Escareal was apparently nervous and could not properly answer most of the questions. He assured, though, that he already met the manager and barangay captain but could only identify them as Jumao-as and Dy, respectively.
The Cebu North Bus Terminal is in Barangay Subangdaku in Mandaue City and is managed by Zosimo Jumao-as.
Briefings
Alarcio later explained to reporters that policemen on the field need to know the basic information about the area where they are assigned.
They should also establish rapport with the community so they will know whom to approach if they need help.
“He should memorize everything about his area so that if there are changes, he can easily notice them. Hindi sila nagfa-fashion show dito,” Alarcio said.
Alarcio instructed Escareal to make sure he was aware of the “threat groups” who went to the terminal.
He also reminded SPO4 Jesus Diaz, the supervisor assigned to the field trainees, to regularly brief his men about their duties.
“Magsupervise ka dito, ha. Hindi ka paupo-upo lang o nagtatawa-tawa. Hindi na nagtatatayo lang kayo dito (You supervise, ha? Don’t just sit there or stand in one place),” he told them.
He agreed with Garcia’s observations on their deployment and directed that those on the field training program (FTP) should be under the station commanders, who will know where the crime-prone areas are.
Searches
Alarcio also said that inspections by ground commanders should be more frequent to find out if their subordinates are implementing their directives.
Aside from Alarcio, staff officers of the PRO 7 also went around Metro Cebu to check how the field trainees were deployed.
Senior Supt. Ronald Roderos went around Cebu City, Senior Supt. Lani-o Nerez was tasked to check Mandaue City while Senior Supt. Drusillo Bolodo was sent to oversee the troops in Mactan Island.
Alarcio hopes that more frequent inspections will correct the mistakes in deployment.
As for the North Bus Terminal, he instructed Diaz to conduct random inspections on bags and frisk some passengers who are about to board buses.
He also spoke with Jumao-as and the duty guard at the terminal for their input.
Better use
For the governor, the newly deployed policemen from other provinces would seem to be acting like tourists if they would only be familiarizing themselves with the place while waiting for the Asean summit.
She said the additional policemen will be more useful if they will be briefed about the different local ordinances that need to be implemented such as those against littering, vandalism or mendicancy so they can help enforce these.
“They can be put to much better and much effective use. Let’s not wait for international events to showcase what we have, we must show every day that we are ready,” said Garcia.
The governor heads the Regional Peace and Order Council and is co-chairperson of the Cebu Organizing Committee for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit.
She will ask Alarcio for a report on the deployment of PNP personnel, including their assignments, their shifts and the specific orders given to them. (MEA/JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 22, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here.
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