Mayor 'beautifies' Ordinance, strikes 'deteriorating' word on peace and order situation
What's in a word? A lot. Particularly if it speaks negatively of a town and the town's peace and order situation. As such, Calinog Mayor Salvador Divinagracia wants a recently approved Ordinance here "beautified." While at it, change the most important phrases too
The mayor's move was prompted by media reports disclosing an Ordinance that described Calinog with a "deteriorating peace and order." And it reportedly has the presence of "lawless elements" who are "organized underworld characters."
Mayor Divinagracia in an interview with Febe Morales of Aksyon Radyo denied and decried the report vis a vis Ordinance implication.
Not true, he said, especially since his assumption into office while giving credit and credence to the police work of the town's police chief.
What may be true, the mayor added though, was that peace and order may have been unsatisfactory in months of 2006 to 2007. And yes, it could have been then because of the robbery-hold up incidents which victimized locals or had suspects believed to have stayed in Calinog.
Yet given the improved conditions now, Mayor Divinagracia moved to strike out the unpleasant phrases "deteriorating peace and order," "organized underworld characters" and "lawless elements" to describe Calinog.
Amendments will then be expected to be submitted before the town council and eventually, the 9th Iloilo Sanggunian Panlalawigan (SP).
To recall, it was only last week when officials of the Municipality of Calinog called on the immediate establishment of police outposts throughout the town. The municipal officials were supposedly alarmed over what was termed as "deteriorating peace and order."
Thus the passage of Ordinance No. 2008-14, passed to cause the establishment of police outposts in "strategic places… as deterrent to criminality."
The Ordinance was pushed by Councilor Dino Dizon and backed by Councilors Renato Casinao and Teresita Lao.
The said police outposts will be manned by police operatives for the conduct of checkpoints and "other activities to deter criminality." Yet as augmentation force, the barangay tanods will also be tasked here with a detailed police to be assigned on a 24/7 basis.
The Ordinance got the legislative nod of the 9th Iloilo SP as per recommendation of the Committee on Public Order and Safety. Committee Chair is First District Board Member Richard Garin.