Comendador says challenges are what he'll miss most of city

CEBU, Philippines – Unsolved cases are what frustrate outgoing City Police Director Patrocinio Comendador, but the longest-serving city police chief said these are also what he will miss the most in Cebu City as he moves to the regional police office.

"I will miss the daily challenge posed by the city and the camaraderie and companionship of my men… These are the things I value most," Comendador told reporters yesterday.

Comendador is stepping down as city police chief after three years and seven months. He will be assuming as directorial staff at PRO-7 in the next few days.

Describing Cebu as a "city of challenge," Comendador said there will always be challenges and high profile cases for the police in an urbanized community like Cebu.

Comendador said his successor, Melvin Ramon Buenafe, is already aware of things that need to be given priority, including robbery-hold ups and street gangs. Bank robberies, Comendador said, should also be "pre-empted." 

He said the downtrend in crime in Cebu City since 2007 is the biggest achievement of the police force, but emphasized the same was achieved through collective effort.

"It's not me alone who do the job; it's my men who did it. Igo ra ko nagsuporta nila. They have also to support the incoming city director because we are stakeholders here in making the city as peaceful as possible," he said.

Comendador, whose biggest challenge was the Asian Summit in 2007, also initiated the mobile police outposts, Task Force Colon, and CCPO Crime Scene Investigation Unit, among others.

He was also the one who initiated the "Know Your Police" program wherein policemen visit schools in the city and teach students, especially Grade 1 pupils, about security.

Comendador said the unsolved high profile cases were frustrating for him, but he made it a point that the public never loses its trust and confidence on the city police. (THE FREEMAN)