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Disturbed by the pestering increase of shooting incidents in the city that claimed the lives of many victims in the past months, Councilor Jimmy Cabato suggested to balance the “terror with terror”.

“If these hoodlums want violence then we should give them what they want. Let us also terrorize the terror to end these killings,” Cabato said.

Cabato,  who chairs the peace and order committee in the City Council, said if Davao City was able to bring peace in their place, Zamboanga City can pattern it.

“Davao City was led by a mayor who ruled with iron fist,” Cabato said without elaborating if he wants Mayor Celso Lobregat to also do the same.

The veteran councilor, who was former barangay chairman of Baliwasan, had led a group of militiamen in keeping peace at bay in his community with the support and in coordination with former Southern Command officials.

Cabato also proposed the conversion of the city’s traffic aides into a security force to augment the police in fighting crimes.

“We can train and arm them to help fight criminality. We have to move fast before it gets worst. If these criminals want violence then let us give them violence in order to clean the city with criminals ,” Cabato said.

Meanwhile, some concerned citizens in the city are calling for the speedy installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras which could boost anti-crime prevention campaign in the city.

“Mayor Celso Lobregat is very slow in installing the CCTV cameras, despite several shooting incidents that occurred in the city proper,” the concerned citizens said in a statement.

The number of gunshot victims reported so far is already 112 and still counting where most of the shootings are still unsolved and the culprits remain unpunished. But this alarming fact falls on deaf ears at City Hall, as if nothing happens, the statement said.

“Mayor Lobregat earlier had announced the installation of CCTV cameras in strategic intersections of the city and he even said that it is already being worked out but, until now, it remains to be seen,” the statement said.

By Nonong Santiago with a report from Hader Glang