POLICE FILES

NEW PATROL CAR FIGURES in ACCIDENT

A POLICEWOMAN was injured in an accident that marred the blessing of a new police car and the police station of Barili town, southwest Cebu.

PO2 Dandan Villabar switched on the engine of the vehicle without noticing that it was in first gear.

The car suddenly moved forward hitting SPO1 Estillore Cañete who was standing in front.

Cañete was brought to the Barili District Hospital for treatment of leg injuries./CORRESPONDENT CHRISTINE EMILY L. PANTALEON

JVR’s NAME oN NEW PATROL CARS

THE name of Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. De los Reyes is painted on two new patrol cars donated to the city.

However, the mayor said he had nothing to do with the labels.

Two Toyota Innova vans were turned over on Tuesday to the Talisay City Police Station with the mayor’s name painted on the sides.

“I didn’t issue any instruction to have my name placed on the vehicles. Maybe it was the car company that did it,” the mayor said in Cebuano.

Before the turnover, the mayor directed the police to remove his name from the vehicles, said Supt. Resty Santos, OIC of the Talisay City police.

Memorandum Circular 2012-44 of the Department of Interior and Local Government bans the display of pictures or names of government officials on posters, projects, properties or infrastructure of the government to avoid taking undue credit.

The circular enforces what is envisioned by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago as an anti-Epal bill.

She filed Senate Bill 1340 or “An Act Prohibiting Public Officers from Claiming Credit through Signage Announcing a Public Works Project.”

“Epal” means scene stealer or attention-grabber. In politics, it refers to officials who use government projects as props for their propaganda or promotional campaigns./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC