CCTV Cameras Urged as Burglars Hit 4 Town Halls

(PNA) — The Cebu Provincial Board (PB) has passed a resolution urging all component cities and municipalities to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in strategic locations of their government buildings following the series of burglaries in at least four town halls in the province.

The resolution, sponsored by PB Member Jude Thaddeus Durano-Sybico, was in response to the fourth burglary of a town hall this year, this time in Pinamungajan town.

Last Sunday, Pinamungajan town lost around P430,000 in employees’ salaries and taxes to still unidentified burglars.

Last week, unidentified burglars ransacked the respective treasurer’s office of the towns of Compostela, Carmen, and Sogod of the fifth district of the province.

Sybico represents the fifth district in the PB.

Carmen town lost P4,800; Sogod, P55,961.22 in revenues and another P31,550 in savings; and Compostela, P75,000 in taxes and other fees.

In all instances, the town halls do not have CCTV cameras and security guards.

Sybico said proximity of the offices to police stations adds a dimension of paradox, even insult, because commission of such crimes ought to have been deterred by the presence of agents of the law.

“These incidents call for stronger self-initiated engagement and capacity-building in the area of security among local government units through the installation of new surveillance modalities and equipments such as, but not limited to CCTV cameras,” he said. (PNA) CTB/EB