Two hours late, Garma misses meeting with Tomas

After their disagreement over some issues, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña now wants to meet with Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Royina Garma and the police station chiefs.

Garma confirmed the development when she and the 11 station chiefs were seen in City Hall on Monday, March 4.

Garma said they were called by Osmeña for a meeting, possibly to discuss the peace and order situation.

“Wala kaming idea but definitely peace and order, I’m very sure it’s related to our work. It was the mayor who called, and it must be very important,” Garma said when asked what the agenda of the meeting was.

However, due to a conflict in their schedule, Osmeña was not able to meet Garma and the station chiefs.

The meeting between Osmeña and Garma was scheduled at 11 a.m. but the police officers arrived in City Hall at around 1 p.m. By then, the mayor had left City Hall for another meeting.

Garma said they arrived late because they had to attend an activity in CCPO that was scheduled at 9 a.m. but was moved to 11 a.m.

Garma said they agreed with the mayor’s staff to reschedule the meeting on Thursday, March 7.

The police chief and the mayor were once at odds with each other when the latter allegedly ordered the release of three suspects who were arrested by the Parian Police Station for refilling butane canisters with liquefied petroleum gas last year.

In August last year, the CCPO filed five administrative complaints against Osmeña before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas in relation to the incident.

Meanwhile, Councilor Dave Tumulak urged the barangays to continue supporting the police by providing information related to illegal activities in their area.

Tumulak said the recent arrest of drug suspects in the barangays is a result of the community’s coordination with the police. /