THE police gave early Christmas gifts to 30 families in Sitio St. Michael, Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City on Thursday morning, Dec. 6.
Last Sept. 26, St. Michael was raided by the police, targeting gun-for-hire members and drug personalities.
Seven persons suspected to be hired assassins died in the shootout with the police.
Supt. Regie Real, deputy city director for operations, said the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) chose the sitio as the first beneficiary of their “Handog Pamasko” because they want to show the place has been peaceful since the shootout.
Some of the recipients of the gift packs that contain a kilo of rice and canned goods were Muslims.
“Regardless of religion, it is a must that we visit them,” Real said in Tagalog.
Real said the LCPO will also visit other villages and give gifts to poor families.
For his part, Chief Insp. Junnel Caadlawon, LCPO’s community relations head, said most of the families left St. Michael after the fatal encounter.
The police official, however, said there are no more armed groups in St. Michael.
“We always visited this place to assure the residents that the police are protecting them,” Caadlawon said in Cebuano. (FROM GCM OF SUPERBALITA CEBU / KAL)