City to give P500T aid to soldiers’ families

The Cebu City Government will give half a million pesos in financial assistance each to the families of the four government troopers who died in a clash with Mindanao-based terrorist groups in Inabanga, Bohol last Tuesday.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced the development before he left for his personal trip to Korea Tuesday night, saying the soldiers and police who died are real heroes.

While this developed, authorities have beefed up the security in the city, particularly the coastal areas.

“The firefight happened in Bohol, but it’s very likely the Abu Sayyaf would have come to Cebu as well. Because of this, the Cebu City government will render assistance to the families of the four heroes who died protecting us. It’s the least we can do,” Osmeña said.

In a separate interview, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) Chief Nagiel Bañacia said the City plans to extend P500,000 as financial assistance to the families of three soldiers and a police officer who died during the encounter.

Bañacia said it will be sourced from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) funds.

He said that before Osmeña left, he signed a letter requesting Pagcor to allow the City to use the funds.

Since Tuesday night, police officers and CCDRRMO personnel were deployed in different coastal areas in the city, including the South Road Properties, for visibility and to prevent the entry of individuals who might cause harm in the city. /