Province lacks policemen, hire personal security detail

Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III said local chief executives who feared for their life after the recent killing of two mayors in Luzon can hire their personal security personnel.

“Those who feel kinahanglan sila og personal security, then they can hire. Maybe they have to realize also nga kulang gyud og police diri sa ato,” Davide said.

The governor understands that the police force in the province is undermanned, the reason why police personnel assigned to local chief executives were recalled by the Cebu Provincial Police Office.

Davide said the police are also needed on field.

Some of the local mayors expressed concern on their security after the mayors of Tanauan City, Batangas and a town in Nueva Ecija were killed in broad daylight early this week.

Even Tuburan Mayor Democrito Diamante, who also heads the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)Cebu Province Chapter, is alarmed by the recent killings and has asked the Philippine National Police to give police aide to mayors who received threats.

Diamante also reminded the chief executives to be alert and aware of their surroundings, saying a bodyguard is not an assurance of their safety, especially if perpetrators are determined to gun them down.

“Kung interesan gyud ka sa imong kaatbang like nahitabo ni Mayor Halili kay sniper man ang nakapusil, dapat gyud magmatngon ka, bisan og naa kay armas kon sniper ang motira nimo dili ka kakita,” Diamante said.

Diamante said mayors all over the country are set to have a meeting in Davao this month and one of the agenda to be discussed is the recent killings of mayors.