Brgy workers to undergo crime response training

CEBU, Philippines - The Capitol, through its Provincial Legal Office, is set to train today Tuburan town’s barangay tanods and members of the Barangay Peace Action Teams (BPAT) on responding to crime scenes.

At least 70 tanods, 40 BPAT members, and some members of the local police are expected to attend the first leg of the series of workshops and trainings organized by PLO.

PLO head lawyer Orvi Ortega, in yesterday’s Kapistorya at the Capitol’s Legislative Building, said the program is aimed at training the participants on quick response to crimes, especially those happening in distant areas.

The participants, Ortega said, will undergo a thorough workshop on how to record and preserve evidence, cordon the crime scene, and check if there is a sign of life (in case of shooting or stabbing incidents), among others.

Ortega said the PNP Crime Laboratory-7 has reportedly agreed to have barangay workers undergo the seminar-workshop.

“Tanods can be effective and efficient partners of PNP,” he said.

The training is part of PLO’s Barangay Legal Outreach Program (BLOP) which is targeting to reach out to Cebu’s more than 1,000 barangays.

Ortega said after Tuburan, where they hope to pilot the 14 barangays, they will proceed to northern Cebu: on April 11 and 12 in San Francisco and Poro towns and April 18 and 19 in Pilar and Tudela, respectively.

On April 25, the team will be in Madridejos and Daanbantayan and in Santa Fe the following day.

Ortega said the program, through the Philippine Alternative Dispute Resolution, will also offer seminars to the Lupong Tagapamayapa or peace committee on how to successfully mediate two conflicting parties before the conflict gets elevated to court.

He said the program also includes teaching barangay councilors and captains on how to draft ordinances and resolutions for effective legislations.

“Ang atong serbisyo dili lang ilikot sa financial assistance kundi ang pagtabang sa mga naa sa barangay,” he said. — Liv G. Campo/NSA (FREEMAN)