By Calvin Cordova
CEBU CITY - Is it necessary to present a police clearance before one can rent an apartment bed space in a boarding house?
A city councilor here doesn’t think so.
Police clearance application (Erwin Beleo / MANILA BULLETIN)
Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Public Order and Safety said the suggestion to require would - be tenants to present police clearance is anti-poor.
“For me it is anti-poor. What is needed is close cooperation between the owners and barangay officials,” said Tumulak, who is also the deputy mayor for police matters.
The suggestion to require tenants to present police clearance was raised by Cebu City police chief Senior Supt. Royina Garma, following the recent confiscation of a sizable volume of shabu from two apartment unit tenants.
Last November 18, police confiscated P38 million worth of shabu in an apartment in Barangay Tisa from Jeffrey Cabaron, who rented the apartment for P10,000 a month.
Last Friday, packs of shabu worth P41.8 million were likewise seized after police arrested Michael Cabaraña, Jemuel Enrile, Arnold Arquiza and Agustin Quijano in a buy-bust operation an in apartment in Barangay Sambag 2.
Garma went on to ask local government units to pass ordinance that would regulate the operations of apartments.
But crafting an ordinance will not solve the issue right away, said Tumulak.
“It takes time to create an ordinance since public hearings are needed,” Tumulak said.
Tumulak said the immediate solution is for apartment owners to have a close coordination with law enforcers.
Tumulak said owners should closely monitor their tenants and if they notice some suspicious activities, they should immediately report to barangay officials.
“In turn, the barangay officials will coordinate with the police for surveillance. It is high time that apartment owners to get involved and cooperate,” Tumulak said.