Lady mayor slamsinclusion in NAPOLCOM order

COTABATO City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadihas refuted the order of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) withdrawing her deputation as representative of the Commission.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi was listed among the seven provincial governors in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Sultan Kudarat in Region XII in Resolution Nos. 2017-334 issued by the NAPOLCOM last June 8 withdrawing the deputation of the government officials as representatives of the Commission.

This resolution came as a surprise to many of the officials who were implicated on the grounds of “inaction to combat criminalities in their areas of responsibility and giving support to terroristic groups.”

For Mayor Guiani-Sayadi, the removal of deputation will not in any way affect her leadership and function as the chief executive officer of Cotabato City but she objects the grounds upon which the resolution was based.

“If they remove the deputation on the grounds of the implementation of Martial Law, we will accept that. But if they say we are not doing anything to combat criminalities in our area and much so give support to terrorists, then this is truly questionable,” Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said.

In Cotabato City, the lady mayor, since her time as the elected vice mayor of the city in 2016, has already conducted nightly patrols along major areas in the city initially to ensure that minors are strictly following the curfew hours. Later, this activity was institutionalized by the City PNP and called it the Revitalized Operations and Neutralization on Drug Addiction and Anomalies or RONDA. This operation is jointly led by the city police and the city government of Cotabato.

When President Rodrigo Duterte declared his all-out war against illegal drugs, the city mayor also started running after the people  involved in drug trade in the city. This resulted to the apprehension of more than 100 individuals and the confiscation of millions worth of drugs and other paraphernalia.

With the success of the RONDA, Mayor Guiani-Sayadi started getting recognition from her fellow chief executives in Region XII and later, Cotabato City was recognized as the model city of the region, citing the RONDA as one of its best practices that other LGUs are encouraged to replicate.

The mayor was also recognized as an Outstanding Lady Executive by the Police Regional Office-12 because of her remarkable efforts in intensifying the peacekeeping activities in Cotabato City through the continuous operations of the RONDA.

To complement the President’s declaration of martial law last May 23,  Mayor Guiani-Sayadi issued Executive Order No. 210 on June 5, 2017 declaring a “NO ID, NO ENTRY’ policy in the territorial jurisdiction of Cotabato City.

Under EO 210 of the city mayor, only persons with valid identification papers shall be allowed access/entry into Cotabato City, provided tha5t they have to undergo body inspection, including their baggage, at the security checkpoints manned by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or the Philippines National Police (PNP).

Entry into Cotabato City of motor vehicles shall only be allowed upon presentation of a valid/current motor vehicle registration documents from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), provided that motor vehicles have to undergo inspection of its cargo and trunk/compartment at the security checkpoints manned by elements of the AFP or PNP.

“Since the declaration of martial law on May 23, 2017, our police blotters are almost empty. There were no crimes against persons committed in the city until that NAPOLCOM Resolution came out,” she said.

Days before the NAPOLCOM Resolution came out to the public, City Mayor Guiani-Sayadi was even chosen and took her oath as the newest member of the Regional Advisory Council of the Police Regional Office-12 before Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, representing all the local government units in the region.

This is why the official was dismayed upon receiving the news of being stripped of police deputation.

Talking to the press, she said the order should have first undergone validation and brought down to the regional level to make way for verifications as to its veracity.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said there was no mention in the premises if the NAPOLCOM Resolution 334 about any untoward incident that transpired in Cotabato City during the period that would necessitate the withdrawal of her deputation as representative of the Commission.

She also pointed out that being deputized by the NAPOLCOM didn’t mean she had total control of the city police. The city government has only extended its assistance by providing them with necessary equipment and logistical help.

“Our city police are free to do whatever they want as long as it is in accordance with the law,” the mayor further said.

Despite the withdrawal of her deputation, City Mayor Guiani-Sayadi assured that the operations of the local government will not be affected and she will continue to serve her people as their chief executive.

The services extended by the LGU to the communities will still continue and the nightly RONDA will still go on together with the help of the barangay force multipliers. This will not stop her from her ongoing pursuit to keep Cotabato City safe from all forms of lawless forces.

Law enforcement agencies in the city, like the City Police Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Criminal Investigation and Detention Group-ARMM, and ask Force Kutawato, were also quick to issue their certifications as testimonial to the lady mayor’s performance when it comes to crime suppression strategies that she implements in the city.

603^rd Brigade Commander Col. Jesus Sarsagat, also the head of the newly created Task Force Kutawato, said that the mayor’s support to the task force has enabled the unit to effectively perform its mandate and maintain the needed peace that is essential to the progress of the city.

Meanwhile, two days after the NAPOLCOM resolution was released to the public, Department of the Interior and Local Government Officer-in-Charge Catalino S. Cuy admitted that the list was in fact erroneous, saying the agency is ready to review the list and make necessary corrections as soon as possible.

Under Section 51 of R.A. 6975, as amended by section by section 64 of R.A. 8851, governors and mayors are automatically deputized as representative of the NAPOLCOM in their respective jurisdiction. As deputized agents of the Commission, local government executives can inspect police forces and units, conduct audit, and exercise other functions as may be authorized by the Commission.(HALIMA SATOL-IBRAHIM – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)