By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
SNATCHING is on the rise in Bacolod City. It is “bruising” the “City of Smiles”.
Snatchers have the newest tacks. They “go with the flow”, blend with the crowd.
They hit on weekends, especially from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in malls.
Night businesses, too, are complaining.
This “unwanted phenomenon” in Bacolod necessitated Colonel Noel Aliño, officer-in-charge of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), to meet with business sector representatives on May 17 at Park Inn by Radisson Bacolod Hotel.
Frank Carbon, chief executive officer (CEO) of Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), lamented: “Hard to fight the politics of the stomach.”
But he “hailed” Colonel Aliño’s candidness in telling the truth that snatching has become alarming.
“At least he’s not pretending,” he said.
MBBCI is very much willing to help the BCPO address this petty crime.
“It’s our dictum: More begets more and not nothing begets nothing,” said Carbon.
FOUR CHALLENGES
Colonel Aliño, in his written report to the business community (glad to have the copy of it), laid down four challenges that BCPO is facing right now. These are:
* limited accomplishment(s) on the neutralization of criminal gangs/members and arrest of illegal drugs groups due to lack of information support and cooperation from barangay officials
* no SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) van/vehicle
* lack of communication equipment for beat and mobile patrols
* inactive involvement of some barangays in the campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs particularly in sustaining the Community-Based Drug Rehabilitation Program (CBDRP)
In response, MBCCI agreed on the proposed initiatives, especially boosting police visibility – a key factor to deter crimes in the city. These include the following:
* retraining/retooling of barangay tanods in Bacolod before delegating them as force multipliers
* creation of security council to be composed of policemen and private security guards
* revival or reactivation of Motorized Anti-Street Crime Operations (MASCO)
“Too, we’re more than willing to share with the fuel expenses for MASCO’s revival. If these are meant to deter crimes, we’ll not hesitate to help the police,” said Carbon.
Snatching has negative ripple effects on the city’s image. “It’s destructive!” he punctuated. “Pero indi kami maghibi, mabulig kami. We’re not crybabies!”
Well, I salute Colonel Aliño’s candid honesty. Snatching is a “headache” for him who has just celebrated his controversial first month anniversary in service at BCPO.
And he’s not done yet with the “wigit bangkay”. On May 14, another male cadaver was dumped on Mabini Street in Barangay 32.
It was the fifth bangkay found in the city just six days after Mayor Albee Benitez promised: “It’ll never happen again, period!” and three days after Colonel Aliño publicly declared: “Kung makakahuli ako niyan, susupot ko rin ang mga ‘yan”.
FAR-OFF FROM REALIZATION
But what bothers me most is Colonel Aliño’s specific challenge that BCPO lacks communication equipment for beat and mobile patrol.
Did Mayor Albee know this?
This is simple but it attracts criticisms against the billionaire mayor of Bacolod.
Because if this is true, then what’s the use of the city’s intelligence funds or PAGCOR funds?
Bacolod is billed as one of the premier cities in the Philippines. Mayor Albee’s candid vow when he assumed the mayorship in July last year is to make Bacolod a “SMART CITY”.
But with Colonel Aliño’s newest revelations to the business community, it seems that the mayor’s dream is still far from being realized./PN
