Public urged to be vigilant against ‘Akyat Bahay’ gang amid rainy weather
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, July 29 (PIA) – “Be vigilant against ‘Akyat Bahay’ gang,” a top police official warned the public especially in these times of rainy weather providing thieves a soundproof opportunity to burglary attempts.
Lapulapu City Police Director S/Supt. Anthony Obenza gave this advice due to reports on break in of houses that usually happened during heavy rains.
“Households should always be on alert because heavy rains provide an opportunity for burglars to do their crime,” Obenza said.
Obenza added that not only houses are pointed target but establishments are juicy targets by criminals as well.
Just recently, the office of Cebu City Councilor Alvin Dizon located in the third floor of the Legislative Building was ransacked and his laptop taken. Also mid last month, the Cebu City post office located in the same building was also ransacked and P6,000 in cash was taken from the cabinet where money was kept.
The city police director said regular conduct of information sharing is done among police offices because burglars that pulled off a robbery in an area would commit the same crime in another area.
Cebu City Police Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe on the other hand, called on car owners not to leave any valuables inside their car such as laptops amid reports the ‘Bukas Kotse’ gang is on the loose.
“Please do not give an opportunity to thieves to break into your cars because leaving a laptop or valuables that is visible from the outside is already a temptation in itself,” Buenafe said.
Buenafe said preventing crimes from happening is also a responsibility of each individual as there are three factors in the commission of any crime. These factors are motive, capability and opportunity, the city police director disclosed.
“The motive is there and the capability because most criminals illegally possess guns. But if you do not provide the opportunity then criminals do not have room to strike,” according to Buenafe. (PIA 7-Cebu)
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Police says cyber sex crimes in Cebu “not alarming”
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, July 28 (PIA) -- Despite the shocking revelations on the existence of home-based cyber sex operations in Cebu, the police maintained that the situation is “not alarming” as the community is urged to help in the fight against a new emerging crime.
Police Regional Office (PRO) -7 Regional Director C/Supt. Ager P. Ontog bared that because of the much-publicized news over the cyber sex den that was raided last month in Cordova, Cebu where parents pimped their own children to perform lewd acts in front of the web cam for foreign clients has given the impression that “cyber sex operations are getting alarming here.”
Ontog however, admitted that due to the very technical nature of the crime, the police are still upgrading its capability to address such a new phenomenon. “We are requesting for assistance from the Australian Federal Police on basic investigation in handling cyber sex crimes,” the PRO-7 chief disclosed.
Ontog on the other hand, believed that cyber sex operations are not only restricted to Cebu but that perhaps in some parts of the country, similar activities exist as well. “It’s just that our community exercised more involvement by tipping off suspicious activities going on in their area,” Ontog revealed.
“What is good about the publicized controversy is that it increases public awareness that such an activity is criminal in nature so the community can be informed and cooperate with the police,” Ontog claimed.
The PRO-7 chief also admitted that cyber sex crimes are hard to address especially if operations are done in the homes which is mostly the case.
“There are indicators however to check and determine whether a house is used as a cyber sex den,” Ontog said.
Indicators cited are the house or area that is used as a cyber sex den is secluded and since most victims are young girls, then it is highly suspicious if there are a number of different young girls going in and out of the house.
“In such a case, please immediately report to the nearest police station and the police will take it from there. Rest be assured that the police is doing something to address the issue,” Ontog stressed. (PIA 7-Cebu)