City lawmakers were snubbed anew by Tagbilaran City Police chief Supt. Julius Cesar Gornez as he was summoned to address queries regarding the city's peace and order situation.

Vice Mayor Jose Antonio Veloso said he is confused why Gornez did not have the courtesy to inform the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) in advance that he could not come to the council's session last Friday even as he had two days to do so.

Ever since his assumption as city police chief, Gornez continues to refuse even media interviews and respond to inquiries regarding the recent killings and shooting incidents in the city.

The police chief was asked twice by the SP to shed light on the incidence of crime and where lawmakers can help address the problem. Gornez ignored both invitations, the second time he just sent Insp. Clyte Tobias last Friday to inform the SP that the police chief had another meeting.

The refusal of Gornez to attend last Friday's session came even as he was earlier told by PNP Regional Director Terte to cooperate with the local officials by attending meetings and sessions, like the one called by the city SP last Friday.

"Our people want to know if it is still safe to walk the city streets at night in the light of shooting incidents," Veloso stressed.

"We would appreciate it if Gornez, himself will appraise us of the peace and order situation," Veloso added..

For her part, Kag. Anne Mariquit Oppus, told the Chronicle that she had been receiving complaints from policemen regarding withheld benefits from the city government.

Oppus, wife of former city police chief SSupt. Louie Oppus, said such concerns are legitimate issues that can be taken up by the SP in order to cast aside reports of demoralization within the ranks of the City PNP.

During the tenure of past police chiefs, it had been a routine that reports are rendered to the city council.

"The public is asking for an information from the police and we want to hear it straight from the chief," Oppus said.

Aside from being undermanned, the most common grievance of the city police is the lack of communication equipment and dilapidated vehicles.

According to Oppus, the police chief will be invited again to the SP regular session on Friday.

P12M FOR VEHICLES

Veloso bared that during the past two years, the city mayor had requested a total of P12-million for the purchase of police cars.

He said, P4-million was allocated by the city for the purpose and the city acquired another P8-million during the 2nd quarter last year for the purchase of police cars.

Until now, however, the city has not purchased a single vehicle for the police.

The vice mayor explained the Spider patrol cars used by the City Task Force are not the specified police mobility vehicle that were supposed to be purchased out of the P12-million allocation.

The city is supposed to purchase modified Mitsubishi Adventures customized for police use, according to Veloso.

"The problems did not decline with the presence of Spider patrol cars and the task force," said Veloso who questioned the role of the task force in crime prevention.

INTILLEGENCE FUND

Vice Mayor Veloso confirmed that the city mayor's office had re-aligned appropriations for other maintenance and office expenses (OMOE) last year over his discretionary funds.

According to Kag Rama, it is the right of every Tagbilaran resident to know how their taxpayers' money is spent by city hall and how much has been actually spent for the public's safety through financial support to the city police force.