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MANDAUE CITY, Philippines - Mandaue City administrator Briccio Boholst said the city government might purchase new cars for four department heads, whose service vehicles were recalled by Mayor Jonas Cortes for use by the police.
However, this plan will not be realized within the next few months as there are no available funds.
Cortes ordered for the vehicles to be used as additional patrol cars after a Mandaue policeman was killed by suspected robbers who tried to flee.
At that time, the policeman and his colleague were using their own motorcycles in patrolling.
?We feel sorry for the department heads because they do not have service vehicles anymore, but the priority of the mayor is the peace and order. Anyway, they also have their representation and transportation allowance,? Boholst said.
The Mandaue City government has scrapped plans of buying new patrol cars for the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).
Cortes said the plan would be an unnecessary expense as the city already provided the MCPO with vehicles previously assigned to other government offices.
A bridge patrol car, a Kia double cab, two Toyota Corollas, a Toyota Hi Ace van and a Suzuki multicab, which were supposedly used as service vehicles of various departments of the City Hall, were reassigned to the MCPO.
The four additional vehicles will be endorsed to the MCPO once these are repainted and installed with sirens and blinkers.
Boholst said the lack of patrol cars is not an issue because the suspects in the killing of Senior Police Officer 1 Pedro Sucion were arrested even before the MCPO received the additional vehicles.
The city administrator said it is not the job of the city government to provide all logistical support needed by the police department because that is the obligation of the Philippine National Police.
Senior Superintendent Rodel Calungsud, director of the MCPO, said the additional vehicles would help the police become more effective.
Calungsud said the vehicles would be used for police visibility in crime-prone areas.
He, however, insisted that his men would respond to any alarm with or without service vehicles.
