SP to review anti-helmet ordinance

On Monday’s regular session, the City Council deferred action on the proposed ordinance amending Ordinance No. 14422-2022 entitled: “An Ordinance prohibiting any person wearing bonnet, helmet, or other face-coverings from entering any public or private establishments in the City of Cagayan de Oro; providing penalty for violation thereof; and for other purposes,” and referred it back to the committee on public order and safety for further study and discussion.

This after some councilors pointed out some issues raised by some sectors in the implementation of the ordinance. As the chair of the committee on public order and safety, Councilor Romeo V. Calizo said there is a need to discuss further the proposal as there might be a critical impact on the security of the city especially that it involves exemption on law enforcement.

”With due respect to the proponent (Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas), if you say there is exemption… there would again be a hard work on the part of the enforcement personnel. I feel there might not be a necessity in amending the general provisions of the law (but) maybe in the IRR we can come up with some tactical or strategic moves to enforce the law (and) not necessarily sacrificing a certain critical part on the security of the city,” Calizo further explained.

Ordinance No. 14422-2022 was enacted last December 5, 2022 to legitimize security measures to deter crimes involving robberies and assassinations and other despicable crimes committed by, most often than not, perpetrators wearing helmet, bonnet or other face-coverings to hide their identities.