Albayalde to Cebu cops: Solve mayor’s ambush in 2 weeks or be sacked

MANILA, Philippines  – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde ordered the director of the Cebu Provincial Police Office and the chief of police of Talisay City to solve the ambush on San Fernando town mayor Lakambini Reluya within two weeks or they will be sacked.

“They will be relieved automatically. Sinabi ko sa kanila iyon (I told them that),” Albayalde told reporters on Wednesday.

Reluya’s convoy was ambushed in Barangay Linaw, Talisay City, Cebu Tuesday evening.

Reluya survived the attack, but her husband, Ricardo Reluya Jr., chairman of Barangay Panadtaran, their driver Allan Bayot and one Ricky Monterona died on the spot.

Two of the Reluyas’ bodyguards also survived the ambush.

READ: San Fernando mayor survives ambush

Albayalde dismissed fears that his warning will lead to a poor investigation, citing the swift probe on the killing of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police escort SPO2 Orlando Diaz in Daraga, Albay.

READ: PNP: Daraga mayor is Batocabe slay ‘mastermind’

“Remember ‘yung [case ni Rep.] Batocabe tinira nga natin in less than two weeks. Kung tatrabahuhin mo talaga kaya naman. Kung tututukan mo ‘yung isang bagay at kung gagamitin mo ‘yung fertile imagination [mo], pwede,” he said.

(Remember that the case of Rep. Batocabe was solved in less than two weeks. If you will really work on it, you can do it. If you will really focus on something and if you will use your fertile imagination, it is possible.)

Albayalde said he had instructed Chief Supt. Debold Sinas, director of the Police Regional Office 7 (Central Visayas), to “provide round the clock security” to Mayor Reluya and her two bodyguards.

“The national headquarters, thru the concerned national support units, is supporting the Special Investigation Task Group created by PRO7 to synchronize all investigative efforts by different PNP units to piece together the circumstances surrounding the incident and to identify and prosecute the perpetrators,” Albayalde said in a separate statement. / gsg