Dad leads consultative forum on crime solution
BACOLOD CITY — Sangguniang Panlungsod Member Al Victor Espino, chair of the Committee on Police, Security and Jail Management, will conduct today a consultative forum with various stakeholders on measures to address successive hold-ups and other crimes in order to protect business institutions in Bacolod City.
Espino said that the objective of this consultative forum is to collate all proposals and counter measures from various establishments like pawnshops, grocery stores, lending institutions and other firms that hold cash possession within their vicinity.
He said that in today’s consultation, he will submit his proposal for the installation of close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in every establishment for crime detection. This consultative forum will be attended by the representative from the office of the City Mayor, all Sangguniang Panlungsod Members, City Legal Officer Atty. Joselito Bayatan, Bacolod City Police Director OIC Senior Supt. Celestino Guara, Metro Bacolod Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Bacolod Fil-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hotel and Restaurant Association of Negros Occidental, Bacolod Credit Management Association, Bankers Club of Bacolod City, Gasoline Dealers, Security Agencies Association and other business-related establishments. Espino stressed that as a highly urbanized city, there is a need to install CCTV’s for the possible identification of the perpetrators. He said that this scheme is now in place in Cebu City and Davao City where most of the establishments provide CCTV cameras.
“I invited Col. Guara for this consultation in order to reiterate his observation including his solution to this problem so that we could draft a legislative action on this,” Espino said.
He said that he will also meet with all taxi drivers and operators considering that this sector is among the usual victims of robbery hold-up in Bacolod City. Espino acknowledged the proposal of Col. Guara that taxi units should install “panic lights” that could be activated during the occurrence of hold-up incidents. He believed that this will be an effective measure to combat crimes within taxi operations.