Despite Lahug rumble incident: Rama nixes curfew return

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City government will not be re-imposing the curfew despite the rumble involving youngsters reported outside a restobar in Barangay Lahug on Sunday dawn.

Mayor Michael Rama, in a press conference, said he has no plans of implementing again the curfew, but stressed the “big responsibility” of the establishments and the police in handling peace and order matters.

“Dili ta mobalik (og curfew). Ang ato karon is bring all establishments… This all entails self-policing and even our own police, I have given them directive that they should take matters with prudence and the police visibility is part of what I told them,” said Rama.

Rama said he will check on the police if they have been religious in doing foot patrol and police visibility measures.

The mayor, likewise, reminded establishment owners to exercise due diligence.

“Ang kagubot moabot ra na kung ang mismong establisamento dili sad mo-engage on their so-called due diligence,” said Rama.

“I am directing and telling all of them: I do not want to let go the sword of Damocles but I, as your mayor, I wish they deserve the freedom and then, of course, the shared responsibility and then do the self-policing,” he added.

To ensure police visibility, Emergency Operations Center deputy chief implementer and City Councilor Joel Garganera and City Councilor Philip Zafra will meet police station commanders in the city.

“We will increase police visibility in areas nga mag-hang out or naay mag-dispense og liquor. We will increase our visibility… So dili lang kay protocol compliance but also peace and order -- mao man gyud nay mandate sa police ang peace and order so we will increase their visibility nianang dapita,” Garganera said in an interview with reporters.

Garganera, however, reminded everyone to control alcohol intake to avoid getting into trouble and for their own safety.

Garganera also said they will be requesting bar owners not to serve liquor to those who are already drunk.

“We will also seek the help perhaps of the bar owners, kaning mga operators, naa gani sila’y mga customer nga hubog na gani kaayo, please don’t serve them liquor because in one way or another madisgrasya na siya. Once the police start to investigate and then gikan diha sa inyo, whether you like it or not, maapil baya mo, so let us drink responsibly, moderately,” he said.

“Unya ang kanang bar operators, mangers, please lang intawon remind them, put a sign sa inyong establishment nga okay naa tong COVID intawon. Dili mi gusto naay gusto mahitabo sa kadalanan ug labaw na dili ta gusto nga naay mahitabo nga away diha ninyo,” he added.

Patrols

For its part, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has directed its 11 station commanders to monitor the restobars or establishments under their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of CCPO, said that that aside from the Lahug rumble, they also received a report of overcrowding along Mango Avenue that also happened last weekend.

“As directed by our OIC (officer-in-charge), concerned stations, especially sa mga estasyonan nga naay dashing mga resto- bars like Station 2 and Station 4, they will be assisted by our MPU (mobile patrol unit),” said Parilla.

According to Parilla, police visibility near these establishments will begin at 12 midnight and last until 5 a.m. This arrangement will start this coming Friday.

As for the establishments and restobars located in the mountain barangays, they will be monitored by members of the City Mobile Force Company (CFMC).

“Sa karon atong buhaton is we have to devise our deployment, especially the presence sa atong kapolisan considering nga wala natay curfew. Mao ni atong giingon kaniadto na we should devise sa atong deployment kay we have to prevent the occurrence of crime,” said Parilla.

Parilla said that they did not anticipate the rumble incident last Sunday considering that the area is far from the city’s central area and the police deployment has not reached there yet.

Mabolo Police Station chief Renz Talosig earlier said that when their response team was deployed there, the individuals caught in the rumble were no longer there.

Despite this, Parilla said that an investigation is being conducted and that they have already submitted a special report to their regional office and to the local government unit (LGU). – with Decemay P. Padilla , Caecent N. Magsumbol and Iris Hazel M. Mascardo, JMD (FREEMAN)