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[av_heading heading=’SMALLVILLE CURFEW? Restobars must close by 2 a.m., Espinosa proposes ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA and RUBY SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – How should the city government address the peace and order problem at Smallville, a popular entertainment complex packed with restaurants, bars and hotels that operate until the wee hours in Mandurriao district?
Mayor Jose Espinosa III bared a major proposal: all establishments at Smallville must close at 2 a.m.
If feasible, he may issue an executive order imposing this policy, the mayor said days after Sunday’s fatal dawn shooting of a young man at Smallville.
“Kinahanglan tanan nga establishments should close at 2 a.m., total shutdown. Wala sang may mabilin sa sulod,” said Espinosa.
However, he would first consult the City Legal Office and City Administrator Hernando Galvez, said the mayor.
“Ang usual nga gakatabo kon ma-last order 2 a.m., mahambal ang customer may bilin pa nga order, amat-amaton inom asta maagahan kamo da. Indi kamo matabog,” said Espinosa.
If his proposal is realized, the mayor said, all customers must be obliged to leave by 2 a.m. whether they have fully consumed their orders or not.
The victim in Sunday’s Smallville shooting around 5:30 a.m. was 24-year-old Rey Myr Tan of Lawaan Village in Jaro district. The suspect, 22-year-old Vanlen Jyro Joseph Hulleza of Barangay Sambag, Jaro, was arrested.
The police chief of Mandurriao, Chief Inspector Juvy Navales, expressed support to Espinosa’s proposal.
“We have to limit the time customers stay at Smallville to avoid commotion,” said Navales.
Mandurriao policemen have been unable to prevent trouble from happening at Smallville. Most of those involved in past incidents were inebriated youngsters.
Navales said the mayor could go one step further – ban the sale of liquor at Smallville.
But even as he proposed a 2 a.m. curfew, Espinosa still stressed the importance of “consistent police visibility” in the area.
With the Mandurriao police station’s limited number of personnel, however, he ordered barangay tanods to augment the policemen assigned at Smallville.
“Dapat sige-sige dira ang monitor sang situation kag indi mabakantihan sang pulis or tanod,” said Espinosa.
Navales, meanwhile, pressed for all establishments at Smallville to have functioning security cameras and security guards.
“Security cameras are important and very helpful in solving crimes,” she said.
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas deployed additional policemen at Smallville, including the Special Weapons and Tactics. They were ordered to secure the area nightly until 6 a.m.
Espinosa said he may summon the owners and managers of businesses at Smallville “para indi na maliwat ina,” referring to the killing of Tan.
In a sworn statement, witnesses claimed somebody got out of a white Suzuki Jimny vehicle and hurled a bottle at Tan and his friends who were standing a few meters away from the highway at Smallville.
Tan chased the vehicle, according to the witnesses.
They recalled the vehicle slowing down, then a man in the Jimny fired shots at Tan.
Espinosa appealed most especially to young people patronizing Smallville to be more tolerant of others.
“Tani bala kon diutay man lang, pasensya gid. Amligan ta ang kabuhi ta kay isa man lang. Kun pwede man lang kapasensya, pasensyaha na lang. Indi gid magpadala sang kainit,” said Espinosa.
In October, the ICPO deployed more policemen to Smallville following a spate of violent clashes mostly happening at night between warring gangs of youngsters./PN
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