‘Oplan Bulabog’ helps ensure peaceful New Year’s celebration

CEBU, Philippines — The New Year's celebration in the city has been generally peaceful, according to Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

The police said their round up operations dubbed as “Oplan Bulabog” has contributed most of the factors in the peaceful celebration.

"Base sa report sa atoa sa station, duna ra tay usa nga nabuthan, pero sa record sa DOH, dunay tulo kabuok nga nabuthan," said Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, CCPO deputy director for operations.

The CCPO team and the local government unit (LGU) have been making rounds in several establishments on New Year's Eve to ensure that the existing ordinance on the minimum health standard protocols was implemented.

Aside from this, they have also conducted the round up to make sure that the firecrackers were only used in the designated firecracker zones.

"So far, usa ra ka establishment diri sa may bukirang bahin sa Sitio Buak ang naisyuhan og show-cause order sa taga BPLO, kay kuyog man sad sila, excessive serving of liquors ilang violations," said Parilla.

According to Parilla, it was the same establishment that they have had issued show-cause order during their first operation of the Oplan Bulabog for violating the curfew ordinance.

"Wala man gud tay right mopasira, it's only the licensing office, considering nga mo-renew ni sila og lisensya rong tuiga, it might be a reason na dili nato sila ma-renew, depende sa taga licensing," said Parilla.

He said that they would recommend to the Business Permits and Licensing Office to penalize those who have been issued show cause order twice.

Despite having no arrest, Parilla said most of the Oplan Bulabog was spent for giving warnings and rekorida to the public.

As to the firecrackers, Parilla said they were able to have a “minimal confiscations” since it was observed that there was no illegal sellers spotted during the celebration. — GMR (FREEMAN)