WITH jueteng and the dirty hands of politics throwing their weight around, a total of 41 police officers from various police stations in Naga City and the Province of Camarines Sur found themselves relieved, and reassigned, spawning an atmosphere of anguish, demoralization and despair among members of the police force in the whole province.
An insider at the Camarines Sur provincial police command, who requested not to be identified for obvious reason, said this is the worst that ever happened to a police force, which appeared helpless against the unjust and unreasonable orders by the chain of command where the top ax man is not even a full-fledged police regional director.
From records obtained by the Bicol Mail, the massive relief and reassignment of police officers began upon orders of P/SSupt. Balluigi Agnanayon Briones Tira, the officer-in-charge of the police regional office based in Camp Simeon Ola, Legazpi City.
The orders became effective before and immediately after the May 14, 2007 elections.
Following is a chronological order of relief and reassignment of police officers from various police stations of the Camarines Sur provincial police command: • On May 12, 2007, thirteen police non-commissioned officers and one police commissioned officer from the Naga City Police Station were summoned to report to the regional police office in Legazpi City upon verbal order of PSSupt. Tira. The 14 police officers were later reassigned to Camp Crame and have stayed there as of this writing;
• On June 23, 2007, P/SInsp Eugenio Abawag Manondo, group director of 505th Police Provincial Mobile group was relieved and reassigned to Masbate Police p[rovincial Office;
• On July 6, 2007, pursuant to Special Order 939, of same date, issued by the regional command, P/Supt. Jesus Martirez, PSI Rodrigo Sarmiento, and PSI Jeusu de los Santos, all of CSur PPO were relieved and reassigned to Catanduanes provincial command;
• On Sept. 1, 2007, P/CInsp Alex Savilla, group director of 504th Police Provincial Mobile Group, CSur PPO was relieved and reassigned to Catanduanes PPO;
• On Sept. 1, 2007, another order was released relieving and reassigning Tigaon Chief of Police, P/SInsp Azer Diones, to Catanduanes PPO;
• On Sept. 28, 2007, PCI Alejo Hernnadez, deputy chief of police of Pili Municipal Police Station and PSI Rodrigo Borromeo, HRDD officer, both assigned at CSur PPO, were relieved and reassigned to Catanduanes PPO;
• On Oct. 8, 2007, the following police non-commissioned officers were relieved from their posts at Lagonoy Municipal Police Station and reassigned to faraway Masbate PPO: SPO4 Rene Pena Jr., SPO4 Ben Piano, SPO1 John Rosero, SPO1 Romulo Penero, SPO1 Marcelo Trinidad, PO3 Alvin Alvaran, PO3 Fred Relleta, PO2 Alvaro Garde, and PO1 Jose Dacoco, Jr.;
• Also on Oct. 8, 2007, the following police commissioned officers were relieved from their posts at CSur PPO and reassigned to CNorte PPO: P/Insp Angeles Balla, P/Insp Elizor DyCok, P/Ins Salvador Banaria, P/Insp Eddie Banal, and P/Insp Danilo Bagacina;
• On Oct. 26, 2007, P/Supt Benito Nino, chief of police of Pili Municipal Police Station, was relieved and reassigned to Masbate PPO. Also on the same date, P/Insp Elton Lacson, chief of police of Ocampo MPS was relieved;
• On Oct. 29, 2007, P/Insp Villamer was relieved as chief of police of Magarao MPS and reassigned to Catanduanes PPO.
Causes of reassignment
The 14 Naga policemen officers, according to the regional command, were relieved because of their alleged involvement in the proliferation of drugs in the city.
Here are other details of the causes of reassignment of the other police officers from other stations:
• P/SInsp Abawag Manondo was identified as a strong supporter of Rep. Arnulfo Fuentebella during the last election;
• P/Supt Jesus Martirez, PSI Sarmiento and PSI Francisco were reported to be close allies of re-electionist Gov. LRay Villafeurte during the last local election;
• PCInsp Pederio was relieved allegedly due to his efforts to stop jueteng in his area of jurisdiction. Ironically, Pedero was one of the team leaders that raided a clandestine drug laboratory in Bgy. Binagasbasan, Garchitorena, CSur last July 7, 2007 (as reported in the Bicol Mail). Also one of the team leaders was P/Supt Heriberto Olitoquit, former 5th Regional Mobile Group Director who was relieved last Oct. 26, 2007 and reassigned to Regional Service Group in Legazpi City;
• P/SInsp Diones was relieved upon his appointment as Chief of Police by Tigaon Mayor Arne Fuentebella, son of Rep. Noli Fuentebella, known political rivals of Rep. Luis Villafuerte;
• PCI Alejo Hernandez, before his relief was known to have apprehended jueteng operators in Goa and the Partido area as chief of the intelligence section of the CSur PPO;
• PSI Boromeo, HRDD officer, was identified as a close ally of then PCSupt Padilla, former Bicol Police Regional Director, predecessor of P/Supt Tira;
• The 8 police officers from Lagonoy who were ordered relieved and reassigned were known to be allies of outgoing Lagonoy Mayor Asela Florece who lost to then newly-installed Mayor Delfin Pilapil, a political ally of Rep. Luis Villafeurte;
• PSupt Benito Nino was relieved soon after he was selected by Naga City Mayor Jesse Robredo to replace Naga OIC Chief of Police P/Supt Amor Macoy. Reportedly, Nino declined to participate in the planned raid of CSur Capitol building for alleged unlicensed firearms which used by the provincial guards. The raid was allegedly planned to embarrass Gov. LRay Villafuerte who has waged war against jueteng which reportedly angered his estranged brother and political foe, Bong Villafuerte;
According to the police officers themselves, the relief of the aforenamed police personnel contradicted PNP policies as provided for in Section 63 of R.A. 855 which states that: (a) city and municipal mayors have the authority to recommend to the provincial director the transfer, reassignment, or detail of the PNP members outside of their city or town residences; (b) that whenever practicable and consistent with the requirements of the service, PNP members shall be assigned to the city or municipality of their residence.
