Bogo mayor asks for troops to beef up police

BOGO City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez asked the military to send soldiers to augment the city’s police force following the gun slaying of three men, believed linked to the illegal drug trade.

The mayor said he coursed his request through the army’s 8th Infantry Division in Samar which has command over the army assigned in Cebu province.

With 44 policemen in the city, “we really lack police forces” to cope with crime, including drug dealing, he said.

Political opponents said Martinez may just be seeking army troops to reinforce his position in the city where he perceives he doesn’t have the upper hand with the local police.

Martinez earlier asked for more policemen from the Cebu Provincial Police office but was told there was none to spare.

The military directed its 6th Company of the Special Forces (SF) assigned in Sogod, Cebu to assess the threat in the area first.

Martinez said there were more recorded killings in the city this year than the previous year, but didn’t offer any statistics.

Capt. Lolito Destajo, 6th SF company commander, said they will discuss what solutions to implement in the city peace and order council meeting.

He said he will be in close coordination with the Civilian Active Auxiliary (CAA) group based in Danao City on this matter.

The 6th SF company replaced a company of the 78th Infantry Battalion in Sogod now based in Leyte. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus