Cortes said Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, that he already coordinated with the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) on the matter and even instructed police to look closely on “barangay cops,” or their personnel assigned in barangays and conduct roving inspections together with tanods.
He said the inspections should be done at night and dawn, citing these are the usual times thieves lurk and do their modus.
“Kay usually ang panghitabo sa kadtong kawat kay kana mang gyung gabieng dako, kaadlawn, so mao ning time-ma nga ato sad ning eh mobilized ang atong mga barangay cops with the barangay tanods,” said Cortes.
(Because usually, theft incidents happen at night or at dawn, so this is the time to mobilize our barangay cops with the barangay tanods.)
Cortes said the City Government also purchased handheld radios to help police during their patrols.
The radios have a unified frequency that all barangay officials can use so that if one needs help, neighboring barangays can respond, he said.
Investigation ongoing
In January, several barangays in Mandaue, particularly Bakilid, Casuntingan and Cabangcalan, reported having sewer hole steel grills stolen.
In Bakilid, a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera caught a man stealing a sewer hole steel grill in a portion of L. Jayme St. Sacris Road.
Maj. Romeo Caacoy Jr., chief of MCPO Station 2 in Barangay Subangdaku, said the culprit has already been identified, adding that they will divulge his identity once the case against the suspect is filed.
Subangdaku Barangay Captain Ernie Manatad also said they lost several reflectorized lights along a portion of M. Logarta St. under the Subangdaku flyover.
Cortes said the MCPO’s investigation against these stolen government properties is ongoing.
Inventory
In a separate interview, Engr. Daisy Toledo of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sixth Engineering District said they already conducted an inventory of all road features within their jurisdiction.
She said the sewer hole steel grills must be removable to gain access to the drainage underneath.
Toledo said barangay tanods should conduct more patrols in areas with steel grills and CCTV cameras should be installed there to prevent similar incidents from happening.
Asked on whether concrete or steel is the ideal material to use for sewer hole covers, Toledo said it depends on the situation.
“The important thing is that it is (sewer hole steel grill) structurally safe and stable,” Toledo said in Cebuano.