By LITO RULONA
Correspondent
COUNCILORS are now studying a proposal to revive the Magtajas administration’s Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw (OKK) to improve the city’s peace and order situation and as a counter-measure against terrorism.
The city council tasked its committee on police, fire and public safety to start tackling the proposal and submit a recommendation.
Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin Uy the idea is to revive the OKK so as to strengthen community involvement in keeping the city peaceful and orderly.
The OKK in Divisoria served as a nerve center of law enforcement and security operations in the city proper during the Magtajas administration. Local officials took turns in overseeing its operations and the private sector was actively involved, and even sent provisions for those who manned the OKK center.
Councilor Reuben Daba, who proposed the OKK revival, said, “Kinahanglan atong ieactivate ang OKK. Dako kaayo kini og tabang para sa dakbayan sa Cagayan de Oro ilabi na gyud ang network sa atong civic organizations.”
Daba said the proposed OKK revival would strengthen efforts and the collaboration of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) and private groups, including the religious sector.
He said it would also improve the intelligence network which is needed to safeguard the city against terrorists.
Councilor Enrico Salcedo said the proposal is timely but he suggested that each barangay in the city would have an OKK center.
Salcedo said barangay officials and Ronda Tanod members, who are seen by the police as “force multipliers,” should play a vital role in his proposed barangay-based OKK centers.
He said, “Kung dunay kagubot ang atong barangay tanod o barangay police mao gyud ang atong una nga sangpiton.”
Salcedo also explained that when city hall created the OKK in Divisoria during the administration of the late mayor Pablo Magtajas, the police was still under the direct supervision of local government.
When the Philippine National Police (PNP) replaced the now defunct Philippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (PC-INP), city hall only retained operational support for the OKK.
Councilor Romeo Calizo, the police committee chairman, said what should be done is to determine the best practices of the OKK in the ’90s and fine-tune the program so that it would be applicable at this time.
Calizo agreed that members of the barangay tanod can greatly help as “force multipliers” and in intelligence information gathering.
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