Labella to reconvene body of agencies to fight crime

To strengthen the monitoring of peace and order and other law enforcement groups in the city, Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella will reconvene the Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) this month.

Labella sent letters to the members of PCAC, such as the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, among others, to officially invite them.

For this year, PCAC will have its first council meeting tomorrow (May 24).

Among those who were invited is Councilor Dave Tumulak, who is the deputy mayor for police matters appointed by Mayor Tomas Osmeña.

In an interview, Tumulak said he will be in the meeting since it is important that the mayor will also be represented.

“I will attend because it’s good for the city and we also want that the voice of the mayor will be heard,” he told reporters.

“In line with this mandate and pursuant to the pronouncement of the Honorable City Mayor to the media on 22 April 2017, the undersigned is convening the PCAC,” a portion of Labella’s letter read.

Labella has been asking Mayor Tomas Osmeña to convene again the PCAC due to several peace and order concerns in the city.

Labella also wants the Cebu City Jail monitored after the reported increase in the number of inmates who have communicable diseases.

For his part, Osmeña earlier said it will be up to Labella to convene the group since under an ordinance, it should be the vice mayor who will chair and preside it.

City Ordinance No. 2389, also known as the ordinance amending Ordinance No. 229 or the ordinance creating the PCAC, Labella as vice mayor will preside it.

It has the objective of coordinating efforts of government agencies involved in law enforcement and recommend to the city mayor interventions needed to improve the general peace and order situation in the city. /