City Hall to adopt new security plan

CEBU, Philippines- To address city officials’ concerns, Councilor David Tumulak tackled yesterday a newly formulated City Hall security protocols with the Civil Security Unit and the Tourist Police Unit of the Cebu City Police Office.

Tumulak, who heads Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said that there is a need to come up with an emergency security plan after the incident on February 12, in which an unidentified person shut down the fourth floor circuit breaker of the legislative building.

Tumulak said they discussed the deployment of security guards in different areas at City Hall and the special augmentation of security personnel in certain offices like the City Treasurer’s Office, General Services Office, among others.

He, however, declined to disclose additional details on the new measures so as not to compromise security.

“Ang atoa lang is nag-come up gyud ta sa plan nga hugtan ang seguridad sud sa City Hall ug gawas sa City Hall kay kinahanglan gyud ma-ensure ang security sa atong edipisyo ug mga opisina,” he said.

“Maglisud gyud ta kay this is a public office, ang mga lalaki kay frisk nga stick or metal detector kay maka-violate sa rights sa tao kun manghikap ta,” he added.

Tumulak said that 50 security personnel have been deployed at City Hall this month for additional security.

Last month’s incident has raised concern for security at City Hall, after a man wearing a red shirt and white jacket and carrying a backpack was captured on closed-circuit television shutting down the circuit breaker of the legislative building’s fourth floor.

Tumulak said the person is still unidentified.

Chief Inspector David Señor of the CCPO Investigation and Detective Management Branch’s Crime against Property Unit has already submitted a special report dated February 26 on the incident.

He said they checked their rogue’s gallery, or database of persons with criminal records, but failed to identify the man.

Señor, though, said the man resembled a person who was caught on tape by a Chong Hua Hospital CCTV for thief.  (FREEMAN)