Restrictions on police allowance Margot tells Garma: Don’t take it personally

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Margarita Osmeña said Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma should not take personally the move of the city to restrict the giving of allowances to registered voters only.

Osmeña, wife of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who has “not-so-good” relationship with the officials of the city’s police force, said the members of the City Council’s committee on budget and finance will yield to the instructions of the chief executive on the giving of incentive allowance to policemen serving the city.

“I don’t think there’s anybody singled out because it will also be an attack against NBI? Against the PDEA? Against the Maritime police? So, maybe we should not take things personally in the line of work that all of us are doing in the government,” she told reporters.

It has been revealed during the budget hearing of the city’s Peace and Order Program last week that personnel from the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drugs and Enforcement Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, and Maritime Police will get allowance from the city if they are registered voters and residents of the city.

Garma said the move of the city government is an “attack” against her whose relationship with Mayor Osmeña turned sour after the foiled assassination of the mayor’s ally last July.

Garma also accused the mayor of “politicking” for the restriction of the release of allowance incentives to the police who are getting P2,500 from the city every month.

Councilor Osmeña said the mayor has his reasons for imposing the restrictions, adding that giving of the incentive allowance is not obligatory on the part of the city.

“We will follow the mayor’s instructions. I mean. I have to talk to him that way. It’s very awkward for me to say that because I’m the wife. But I have to follow, as a councilor. We will follow the mayor’s instructions. Unless he changes his mind, we will keep the way it is,” she said.

She also reminded Garma that the CCPO should process its request for the release of this year’s unspent approved allocation for the police.

Osmeña said the city government has allocated P3.5 million for military and police supply expense, P5 million training expense, P5 million repair improvement of Cebu City Police station, P5 million renovation of firing range, P5 million for other equipment, and P5 million for various police equipment.

She said the city government needs to get the specifics and the request of the CCPO on these allocations before it will be purchased and released.

Osmeña reminded that the police cannot get the allocations next year since it is not a continuing appropriation.

She also said that the city government continues to give fuel subsidy to the police until now. — GAN (FREEMAN)