By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Following the implementation of traffic policies in the city, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said he ordered Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director, Police Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, to go after vandals in the city.
Leonardia explained the number of vandalized establishments in the city is “too much” and the police should act on the issue.
He further cited, during his tenure as vice mayor, Cebu City’s then-vice mayor Alvin Garcia boasted about the lack of vandalized structures in the city.
“We need the people’s participation,” Leonardia added. “They need to report [incidents] to the police.”
Under City Ordinance No. 534, or the Anti-Vandalism Ordinance of 2011, the first offense carries a P1,000 fine, P3,000 for the second offense, and the third offense is one to six months prison sentence with a fine of P5,000.
The mayor stated, so far, they have not received any complaints from the business sector regarding the issue.
However, Leonardia is suggesting a standard operating procedure for local security agencies in the city in order for guards to keep an eye out for vandals, adding the agency should be held accountable for the damages due to their guards’ failure in capturing vandals./WDJ