Cebu City on security alert for plebiscite on splitting a barangay

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The entire city of Cebu was placed on heightened security Friday on the eve of a plebiscite that will determine whether to split the city’s biggest barangay (village) into two or not.

Senior Superintendent Ramon Melvin Buenafe, Cebu City police director, did not limit the high alert status to Barangay Guadalupe so other police units could respond quickly to any emergency.

At least 80 policemen were be deployed in the vicinity of Guadalupe Elementary School, the designated voting center for the plebiscite, to ensure peace and order, said Inspector Enrique Belciña, chief of the Gudalupe Police Precinct.

He added 33 policemen from the Civil Disturbance Management would be in a state of readiness at the Cebu City Police Office.

Belcina said his men will put up a tent in front of the school since they are not allowed to enter the voting center unless asked by a teacher or a commotion breaks out.

Voting will start at 7 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m.

The barangay’s 28,431 registered voters will decide if they want a new barangay, to be named Barangay Banawa Englis, to be carved out from Barangay Guadalupe.

Barangay Banawa-Englis was created by virtue of Republic Act 9905 authored by former Rep. Antonio Cuenco of Cebu City South District and passed on Jan. 7, 2010.

If the “yes” vote wins, Cebu City will have a new barangay, which will be composed of Sitios Banawa, Englis and a portion of Labangan.

But if the “no” vote wins, Barangay Guadalupe will retain its status as the city’s biggest barangay.

The barangay is home to at least two prominent politicians in Cebu City—former allies Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district and Cuenco.

Osmeña said earlier he will not vote because he wanted to leave it up to other Guadalupe residents to decide on the split.

Cuenco campaigned for a “yes” vote but promised to respect whatever the outcome is.

Cuenco is running for congressman of the south district in 2013 elections, a position he held from 1987 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010.

Unlike in the previous elections where he ran under the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan, Cuenco will be campaigning under Team Rama of Mayor Michael Rama, another BOPK stalwart who broke away from the party following a public spat with the party head, Osmeña.

Osmeña and Rama will face off in the mayoral race in the 2013 elections.