AUTHORITIES turned down a proposal to recruit a company of Special Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (SCAA) to help secure the city from criminality and other threats.
Mayor Rolando Uy said he is not inclined to hire a company of 88 SCAA personnel to augment the Army Task Force Oro to secure the city.
“It is not time to have a regular force of SCAA personnel to help the police,” Councilor Romeo Calizo, chair of the police and public safety committees said.
Uy and Calizo said they would prefer the hiring of some 200 volunteers or ‘tanods’ to augment the ten police precincts in the city.
The Mayor said the volunteers would be under the direct supervision of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office which would provide the proper training.
He said under the plan proposed by City Police Director Col. Aaron Mandia, each of the ten police precincts would have 20 volunteers to help them maintain peace and order in their areas.
Uy said the plan would answer the problem of lack of personnel in the city police force.
Presently the ratio of the police is about 1:800. Ideally, the PNP should have one police officer for every 500 residents to better guard the community.
“I am willing to support the plan of Colonel Mandia than the plan to hire Cafgus,” Uy said.
The plan to recruit Cafgus was laid out during the July 21 security briefing held by Acting Mayor Edgar Cabanlas. Mayor Uy was in Manila at that time.
Representatives of Task Force Oro, an army unit assigned to help secure Cagayan de Oro said they lack the personnel and fuel to help the police in its law-enforcement duties.
They suggested that the city government recruit 88 Cafgus to augment Task Force Oro, that only has 30 soldiers and officers.
The Army representatives said they would provide the 45-day training, uniforms, firearms, and other equipment similar to Task Force Davao and Valencia City in Bukidnon that have the same arrangements with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
