PRO-8 director hit for his charity event tarp
TACLOBAN CITY — Chief Superintendent Gilberto Cruz, regional director of the Police Regional Office-8, drew flak from a Tacloban City councilor and a group of lawyers for posting a tarpaulin on the stage of a newly opened mall in the city.
The tarpaulin, showing a blown up photo of Cruz with his name on it and the PRO-8's message of sharing love this Christmas, caught the attention of the lawyers who went to the mall at the time. It was however intended for a PRO-8 charity event yesterday, involving giving of slippers to the poor children.
One lawyer commented that it was violation of the anti-EPAL law prohibiting government officials from posting their names and photos in public billboards or tarpaulins for any government project that may give undue credit to them.
The councilor said that, in this charity works Cruz has been using the name of the PRO-8, its facilities and personnel thus making it a government project, and violating the anti-epal law for brandishing his face and name to the public.
When asked later about his comments on the criticized tarpaulin, Cruz said he was surprised about the remarks of being tagged as an 'epal,' but promptly ordered his aides to immediately removed the tarpaulin from the stage.
"I'm sorry I'm not aware of that tarpaulin place at the stage. I was informed by the mall owner, considering that they support the PRO-8 event. In fact, libre na pinagamit sa amin ang lugar for the children to come to receive each a pair of slippers and other gifts," Cruz told The FREEMAN.
The top police official in Eastern Visayas also downplayed speculations that because of his charity project, the implementation of the government's anticriminality campaign is being neglected.
"It's not true. We have accomplishments to show to the public that we are doing our part in the police as protector and provider of safety of the public," said Cruz who, since assuming his office in August 30 this year, has been giving slippers to the poor children in the region.