Police allowance

No one, not even the national government, can really dictate the Cebu City government to include city policemen living outside the city if it wants to give financial assistance to those who are only residents and voters of the city.

After all, it is Cebu City government’s own money, generated from the revenues and taxes from establishments it has business with. And, of course, it is well within its rights to give the financial allowance to whoever deserves it.

However, the city should need to think twice before it pushes through with its assistance. Such move will only generate public perception that the present administration only favors policemen living in the city for political purposes.

The next elections are just six months away and the financial assistance can be construed as an act of the City Hall’s executive department to solicit votes from the policemen residing in the city and their families.

Yes Senior Superintendent Royina Garma, director of Cebu City Police Office, was right in counting politics as behind the move to give the financial allowance to policeman only living and voting in the city.

“I feel na it’s na-politicized… definitely na-politicized. Whether may ibigay sila na allowance o wala, patuloy kami magtatrabaho kasi may suweldo. If they feel it is fair and just to the PNP, then go, wala kaming problema. But right now, feeling ko na-politicized ng super duper ang PNP,” Garma was quoted as saying by this paper last Wednesday.

Therefore, it would have been better if City Hall would reconsider its decision and include policemen living outside the city in its financial allowance. These cops also have the noble duty of serving the city, protecting its inhabitants from crimes and maintaining its peace and order.

But as we have said, it is up to the city government to identify the beneficiaries of its assistance. However, to avoid courting serious controversy, it should need to be fair and impartial in its program giving financial allowance to the local police.