TUMULAK: CASH ALLOWANCES FOR CITY COPS CONTINUE

Regular police officers get a monthly allowance of P2,500 from City Hall

Contrary to reports, the Cebu City Government has not suspended the giving of cash allowances to police officers in the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), an official said.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, deputy mayor for police matters, made the pronouncement yesterday following reports that City Hall allegedly did not release the police officers’ allowances in January, February and March.

He urged them to check with their administrative office if there were any missing documents; he recalled that in previous months, the allowances were delayed because of errors in some of the paperwork.

Tumulak said CCPO is required to submit a complete list of their officers, especially those transferred to other units or stations. This is the primary document the City Government needs, aside from a certification from the station commander and CCPO Director Joel Doria.

Regular police officers are supposed to receive P2,500 a month as an allowance from City Hall. They were previously entitled to a monthly allowance of P4,000.

Under the 2016 budget, police officers with ranks of inspector, senior inspector and chief inspector used to get around P6,000 monthly. The city director used to get P8,000, while his two assistant city directors received P7,000 monthly each.

Sought for comment, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the City has been extending assistance to CCPO, whether it be in the form of cash allowances or vehicles.

The mayor said what he remembered canceling were the supposed allowances for police officers under the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, non-uniformed personnel and personnel from the crime laboratory.

“Why should we give them? They are not policemen. Murag sakay lang sila ba. All I’m doing is fiscalizing our expenses. It’s not necessary because they are not even real policemen. Maybe four, five months ago, I just caught it myself while signing (that we were going to give allowances to PRO). Why should we give the regional police allowances? Were not subsidizing the region unless the Province and the others will give,” he added. /