City sets purchase of 50 rifles for police
After having secured the necessary authority and processed documents, the city government is all set to purchase high powered firearms for the local police as part of its continuing support and assistance to law enforcement agencies.
Mayor Celso Lobregat said he recently signed the allotment release for the purchase of 50 assault rifles for the police.
This has been planned sometime ago but the delay in the processing of documents and the authority to purchase (these firearms) impeded the plan, but all that have already been fixed, we will purchase all these very soon, Mayor Lobregat said.
The chief executive made this announcement during the turn over of 9 armalite rifles to the local police by the Regional Police Office-9 the other day.
PRO-9 Chief of Directorial Staff Col. Mario Yanga said the turn over of the essential equipment to the local police is “to reciprocate the kindness of Mayor Celso Lobregat and the local government unit of Zamboanga for the various support in terms of police station buildings, vehicles and other equipment as well as the forthcoming firearms”.
Yanga turned over the 9 assault rifles to each of the members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team through City Police OIC Director Col. Amador Corpus and Mayor Lobregat during simple rites at the ZCPO grounds October 30.
Aside from the 9 M-16 rifles, the ZCPO is also expected to receive two Innova patrol cars, also from the RPO-9. The shipment of these vehicles from Manila to the city will be taken cared of by the city government.
Lobregat vowed that the city’s commitment to support and assist the police will continue in a bid to ensure the maintenance of peace and security in the city.
Aside from the firearms, the city is also set to turn over newly constructed police stations. These include the police sub-station in Ayala.
Community Police Action Centers (COMPACs) are also under construction for the barangays of Calarian and Recodo.
“Peace and order has always been and will always be a priority in our administration and we will not stop our support to the City Police as long as I am mayor”, Lobregat added.
The ZCPO has been a recipient of numerous assistance from the city government that include vehicles, infrastructures, computers, gasoline allocations, pumpboats and allowances among others. (Sheila Covarrubias)