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Saturday, November 01, 2008
Lift 'red plate' ban: Cebu officials
CEBU CITY -- City councilors and department heads asked for an exemption from Oplan Red Plate this weekend, when they will be assigned to inspect cemeteries.
As part of Oplan Kalag-Kalag, Acting Mayor Michael Rama assigned the councilors to visit cemeteries in their areas of responsibility so they can swiftly address problems that may arise.
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Some department heads were also instructed to go out where they will be needed, and to make sure that delivery of services during the holidays will not be disrupted.
"The more people in authority out there, the easier for us to assist the public. Their presence will also be a deterrent to any undesirable activities," Rama said in an interview.
Though many police officers will be focusing their attention on cemeteries Saturday, Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador ordered his operatives not to forget about guarding the streets.
He noted that since they will be strict about not letting in liquor inside cemeteries, others might decide to hold drinking sprees outside. Youth groups will be disbanded if they have no business standing by an area, while minors will be returned to their parents.
Comendador gave "last-minute" instructions for patrols to be also on the lookout for street gangs and other gatherings such as illegal cockfights.
Comendador earlier canceled all vacation leaves of police officers until Sunday to make sure more troops hit the streets.
Central Visayas has been placed under full alert until further notice.
Observers began trooping to cemeteries last Thursday, while flower and candle vendors began lining up outside the cemetery gates. Bus terminals and ports were filled with passengers trying to catch rides to their hometowns.
Aside from liquor, sharp bladed items, such as ice picks and knives, will be confiscated at the cemetery gates, which is why police are already advising the public to refrain from bringing these.
The public is also advised not to bring too much cash and valuables lest thieves decide to prey on them.
Since they will be using their Cebu City Hall-issued vehicles, the councilors and department heads expressed worries that they would be reported to the Oplan Red Plate teams.
Different government agencies overseeing the Oplan Red Plate earlier said they will check the cemeteries this weekend to find out if government vehicles will be used when officials visit the graves of their kin.
Duties
"We will be going out to do our job so naturally we will be using government vehicles. We have to be exempted because this is in line with our duty, such as garbage collection and other public services," said Engineer Dionisio Gualiza, chief of the Department of Public Services.
Councilor Lea Ouano-Japson also worries that she and her colleagues will be reported to the Oplan Red Plate teams when they use City Government cars in patrolling the cemeteries Saturday, as instructed by the mayor.
So government agencies involved in the Oplan Red Plate will be guided accordingly, Rama signed a memorandum Friday, informing them that the councilors and department heads were given tasks for the holidays.
"Garbage collection and emergency services cannot be derailed this weekend. Everything will be operational. The councilors and department heads were told that in case anything happens and you're the official concerned, you have to attend to it immediately," he said.
Rama's office at City Hall will serve as the command center for the Oplan Kalag Kalag. (LCR/MEA/Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (November 1, 2008 issue)
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