The Police Coordinating Advisory Council (PCAC) yesterday asked the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) and the police to enforce a city ordinance requiring all public utility vehicles (PUVs) to install emergency signal lights which was meant to help authorities fight crimes.
Eugene Elizalde, PCAC head, said the implementation of the ordinance is a way to deter the commission of crimes inside PUVs.
“We don’t have figures as to the number of PUV robberies but I have been receiving several complaints on this,” he said in an interview after the PCAC meeting.
Under Ordinance No. 1975 authored by former Cebu City Councilor Procopio Fernandez, PUVs, especially jeepneys, are required to install emergency blinkers on the roof.
In case of an emergency, the driver presses a button to activate the blinker to alert people on the street to call the police.
Violation of the ordinance carries a fine of P1,000 and an imprisonment of three to six months.
Although PCAC called for the implementation of the ordinance, Elizalde said penalties should not be imposed immediately.
He said Citom and the traffic police could start the enforcement of the ordinance by inspecting PUVs and remind drivers and operators of the need to have the blinkers installed.
Public cooperation
“I am also asking the public to cooperate and avoid flaunting their material possessions. Let us remove the opportunity and the motive of the criminals,” said Elizalde.
Elizalde said that since it is difficult to increase the number of policemen on the streets, PCAC had to find ways and means to deter criminality.
As this developed, Elizalde said he is happy that Senior Supt. Noli Romana will finally be able to assume his post as chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
He said he called Mayor Michael Rama, who is in Japan on Monday, to inform him that his selection of Romana as CCPO chief was finally approved by Camp Crame.
Elizalde said Rama’s order to Romana was to focus on the fight against illegal drugs, proliferation of unlicensed firearms and to address petty crimes.