Guadalupe police building breaks ground

CEBU, Philippines — The Guadalupe Police Station of the Cebu City Police Office will soon have a new home worth P5.4 million.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new and improved three-story building was held yesterday.

Police Major Dexter Basirgo, the chief of Guadalupe Police Station, said that the old police station building will be demolished to give the police force a more conducive work space.

“The police station is not conducive. Puno and huot. Hopefully, with the new police building makahatag ta convenience during day to day operations,” Basirgo said.

It is expected that after the ground breaking yesterday, construction will start on July 1 and is expected to be completed in December.

The budget for the new building is sourced from the Philippine National Police headquarters which covers the construction and furniture.

Basirgo said that they have evacuated the police station last February. The detainees were transferred to Cebu City Police Office headquarters in Camp Sotero Cabahug while administrative job had been relocated to a vacant day care room of Guadalupe Elementary School.

This is the first police station that CCPO will construct this year.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Police Advisory Council requested all barangay officials to continue cooperating and coordinating with the police organization in all peace and order projects and programs.

City Councilor Joel Garganera made the request after attending the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Guadalupe Police Station.

“I give credit to the Police Station 9 and Guadalupe Barangay Captain Michael Gacasan who was very instrumental in the peace and order programs there,” he said.

Garganera said peace and order matter should be everyone’s concern, adding that the police force needs the cooperation of the community and the barangay.

He added the ground breaking ceremony yesterday is the perfect example of good relationship of the police and the barangay officials.

“The Philippine National Police, as an institution, is here to stay while officials will have specific terms. Let’s help our police in their peace and order programs. Who wouldn’t want peace?” Garganera said when asked for a message to barangay officials.

Months ago, Garganera and some officials of the police organization had a not-so-good relationship with the barangay officials over the property in Barangay Inayawan where a police station could have been constructed.

If the conflict is resolved, the Pardo police station might also be relocated to Inayawan.

Garganera hopes that all barangay officials would work hand-in-hand with the police in peace and order matters like the construction of police stations, among others.

With the incoming administration of mayor-elect Edgardo Labella, Garganera said the police and the city government would coordinate and assist each other in making the city “great again.” — MBG (FREEMAN)