PNP-7 strengthens monitoring against entry of
criminals, terrorists to Cebu amid Christmas season
by Fayette C. Rinen
CEBU CITY, December 7 (PIA) – The Philippine National Police in Central Visayas is strengthening its intelligence monitoring against the entry of syndicated criminals to Cebu with the Christmas season.
P/Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, deputy regional chief of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 bared they are closely coordinating with other intelligence agencies to check against the possible entry of both terrorist groups and criminal gangs from other regions.
“So far, we have not received any reports on the entry of syndicated criminal and terrorist groups to Central Visayas especially here in Cebu,” Cabanag said.
The police official however, said the police remain alert and would not be complacent as the Christmas period is a time when people really spend money and bonuses are given to employees.
Random checkpoints are being conducted by the police all over the region as part of the security measures to apprehend individuals carrying illegal firearms that might be used for criminal activities.
From January to October, this year, there are 1,009 crime cases that involved the use of firearms, the PRO-7 reported.
“Of the total cases, 273 cases have been solved and about 700 cases are still under investigation,” according to S/Supt. Mariano Natuel, chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division of the PRO-7.
Natuel however said that for the past 10 months, crime volume in the region decreased by 25.4 percent.
“From January to October, this year, the total crime volume in the region is 21,535 cases as compared to the 28,808 cases of the same period in 2010,” Natuel disclosed.
The different provincial and city police chiefs in the region have been directed to strengthen its anti-criminality programs to ensure that the yuletide season is peaceful.
“The Christmas period should not be made an excuse why crime incidence goes up due to increased economic activities. This is a test of how effective their anti-criminality programs have been implemented in their areas of jurisdiction,” PRO-7 deputy regional director for operations S/Supt. Louie Oppus declared. (PIA-Cebu)
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DENR-7 urges LGUs to designate common areas for fireworks
By Hazel Gloria
CEBU CITY, December 7 (PIA) --- Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) regional executive director Maximo Dichoso urges local chief executives to designate common areas for fireworks for the forthcoming holidays to reduce harm to health, lives and environment.
Dichoso reminds the people to avoid burning tires, which produces carbon monoxide and other poisonous metals such as zinc which is harmful when inhaled.
“By designating a common area for setting off fireworks and other pyrotechnics displays, this would put off possible harm to the people as the amount of air pollutants from pyrotechnics, such as dust, sulfur and charcoal would complicate respiratory problems,” he explained.
“This would also mean fewer occurrences of fires, injuries and even deaths,” he said.
These pollutants lead to the formation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. They also get trapped in smog that blankets the air afterwards, aggravated by the cold weather and rain expected from the occurrence of La Niña, Dichoso explained.
Aside from designating common areas for fireworks, the DENR-7 chief also reminded the people to be environmentally-conscious by promoting responsible solid waste management by reducing, recycling and reusing.
According to Dichoso, it is important that the public will now take very seriously in trying to reduce their garbage generated from the coming holidays, especially those that are not recyclable and biodegradable, as it can be a major cause of flooding during heavy rains.
“We must be responsible enough to take care of our environment by thinking and acting “green” as we have been experiencing the brunt of our own actions towards the environment,” he added.
Dichoso encourages the public to minimize use of plastics during the Christmas holidays as many of them remain uncollected and they clogged the waterways and rivers. (PIA-7/hfg/DENR-7)