THE Association of Chief Executives (ACE) and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Negros passed a joint resolution yesterday, July 5, condemning the killings of two mayors and sympathizing with their respective families.
Victorias City Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, ACE chairman, said the resolution was unanimously approved by all the mayors during a joint meeting yesterday at L' Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.
"We are also asking the PNP (Philippine National Police) to assure us that it's not going happen in Negros Occidental and they assured us that we do not have that kind of problem here in Negros Occidental," Palanca said.
The mayors also asked the PNP to solve the problem because it is the basic obligation of the police to protect the people including the local chief executives.
Palanca pointed out, "if the PNP cannot protect the mayors how can the ordinary people feel protected?"
Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil, provincial police director, sent his representative during the joint meeting yesterday.
So far, no mayor in the province has asked for additional security and that no mayor, except for La Castellana Mayor Rhumyla Mangilimutan, has been receiving death threats, Palanca said.
For LMP-Negros president, Mayor Jose Benito Alonso of Pontevedra, because of the killings, some mayors could be in low morale and cannot go all out in their campaign against criminality and drugs because of security concerns.
"The PNP is also asking the help of the mayors because we understand that the campaign against drugs and other criminalities need cooperation. It goes with the territory. It's already part of the risk of our jobs because we are making decisions that may hurt others especially if they cannot understand our situation. We need to be decisive. We should not be leaders if we are not good at making decisions. You should not be surprised that sometimes we have bodyguards because we need them in our jobs to implement the law. We should not be mayors if we cannot make decisions for the good of our locality and our people," Alonso said.
Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. advised the mayors to be extra careful.
"It's not only happening in our country. In Mexico, it's even worse. I think that's the trend of the times. Too much violence," the governor said.
He said that those mayors who were killed may also have done something wrong.
On Monday, Tanauan City, Batangas Mayor Antonio Halili was shot dead during the flag-raising ceremony at the city hall.
The next day, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote was gunned down inside his car.
Meanwhile, Palanca said the mayors have been talking on how the PNP replaces the chief of police (COP) of the respective cities and municipalities.
"There should be a formal communication, not only verbal and we want the list of recommendees where the mayors can choose from. Sometimes, the PNP just replaces the COP because of the standing order from the national office. So we, the mayors, are saying that because if there are no crimes recorded, it does not mean that the police do not perform because the fact is, we have been doing to reduce crimes in our respective localities," Palanca pointed out.