Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia distributed four patrol vehicles worth P3.5 million to the police at the Bacolod Police headquarters yesterday and at the same time challenged the members to continue performing well.

Leonardia said that crime incidents in Bacolod are inevitable since the city keeps progressing but pointed out that businessmen continue to in it because peace and order is, comparatively, better than in other areas.

Leonardia, Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Councilors Al Victor Espino, El Cid Famillaran, Caesar Distrito and Roberto Rojas turned over the patrol vehicles to the police in Stations 1,2, 4 and 6.

There are stations in Bacolod that have no patrol cars yet but the Mayor said it is a challenge to the policemen to use their initiative and make use of the available resources instead of making this an excuse for not performing their duties well.

City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz said the city police is thankful to the city government for the patrol vehicles which, he said, is timely, especially because of reports about presence of organized crime group from other provinces, in Bacolod.

With the patrol vehicles, he said, they can easily track down and arrest criminals in the street.

The city police is requesting for six more vehicles and assured that they will reciprocate the support extended by the local government to them with good performance.

The lack of patrol cars will also be among the concerns that de la Paz said he will raise to Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicanor Bartolome as he is expected to attend the ground-breaking ceremony of the Disaster Preparedness relief center at the BCPO headquarters at 10 a.m. today.

The BDPR, which aims at providing support to local government unit in cases of disasters and related emergencies, in terms of training for emergency response, relief assistance, paramedic services, and other logistical requirements necessary for disaster and emergency response, is a project of Bacolod Rep. Anthony Golez.*APN

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