BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
In Cebu City, potential renters of any residential space might be required to undergo a background check soon Police in Lapu-Lapu City will start monitoring establishments that are open 24 hours, small neighborhood stores
An owner of an apartment and a renter both agreed that a background check is needed for those who want to rent a space in Cebu City.
“It’s for our safety also because before, I saw different faces of people coming in and out from the other unit near us,” said Concepcion Neri, who is renting an apartment.
Susan Arguedo, who owns a five-door apartment, said the police proposal will also allow owners to monitor tenants.
“Even before it was suggested, I was already doing background checks on my tenants. If I find something suspicious, I will not allow them to rent because it is also for the safety of our other tenants,” she said.
Councilor Dave Tumulak, who is the deputy mayor for police matters, said he is also in favor of the plan to regulate those wanting to rent residential spaces in the city following the arrests of those engaged in illegal drugs in rented apartments and boarding houses.
Tumulak said barangays can monitor these establishments by getting the background of all renters.
In Lapu-Lapu City, police will start monitoring business establishments that are open for 24 hours.
Senior Supt. Limuel Obon, the city police director, said they are investigating the beauty parlor in Barangay Poblacion where a drug bust last Sunday, Dec. 2, resulted in the arrest of five persons and the seizure of P600,000 worth of “shabu.”
Obon said they will include small neighborhood stores in their monitoring.
In the Poblacion drug bust, operatives arrested Marilou Apa, 45; Patricia Lim, 64; Hildo Gabat, 28; Ramil Jakosalem, 32; and Eugene Potayre, 29.
Obon said Apa and Lim reportedly pretended they were having their nails cleaned but they were actually transacting illegal drugs in the 24-hour establishment.
Lim was the alleged supplier of illegal drugs to Apa, the target of the operation. Suspected users Gabat, Jakosalem and Potayre were also arrested after they each yielded a pack of shabu.