Magpale wants more women in police force

CEBU, Philippines- In line with the Women’s Month Celebration, Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale has requested Police Regional Office-7 director Prudencio Tom Bañas to recruit more women to join the police force.

Magpale was the guest speaker in yesterday’s flag raising ceremony at Camp Sergio Osmeña.

Magpale, in an interview with the media, said she personally asked Bañas to accept more women applicants.

She said that while more women are enticed to join the police service, their number is still short. During recruitment, she said, only 25 percent of applicants are women.

She said there are many cases involving abused women and it is difficult for a female victim to open up to man investigating her case.

In her speech, Magpale said women in public service should prove that they are not the weaker sex.

“I keep telling the women we have to prove, let’s do our best, lets prove that we are not the weaker (sex),” Magpale said.

She said that men have the presumption of women being weak because they are indecisive at times.

“Like what I said in my speech in decision making, ingon man gud sila nga paana-ana ang mga babaye, I think naa gihapon ang mga perception sa mga lalaki.  I think it’s up to us to prove that we are not the weaker sex” she added.

Meanwhile, she said that her office has received fewer complaints involving sexual harassment.     

“Naa gihapon ang tanan if I base it on the number of complaints… domestic violence is still there, (but) nag-anam og ka diyotay ang sexual harassment,” she added.

Magpale, the co-chairman of the Provincial Women's Commission, received an award as the “champion against trafficking in person” from the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.  (FREEMAN)