Cebu City Council lauds Natu-el

While Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama opposed the appointment of Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el as director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK)-dominated City Council yesterday passed a resolution congratulating the police official for his appointment.

Councilor Jose Daluz III, an ally of  Rama in the City Council, questioned the passage of the resolution since Natu-el’s appointment was made on May 10 wherein the election ban on appointments was still in effect.

Despite Daluz’s opposition, the council went on to pass the resolution by councilors Augustus Pe Jr., Margarita Osmeña and Alvin Dizon.

“There is no problem with that.  We are just congratulating him (Natu-el).  We like him,” vice mayor Joy Augustus Young told Daluz.

The three councilors asked that a copy of their resolution be furnished to Natu-el.

Rama had been wanting Senior Supt. Noli Romana to lead the CCPO.

Rama insisted that as the mayor, he has the right to chose on who would sit as chief of CCPO.

Romana is the current chief of the Negros Provincial Police Office (NPPO).

Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO), said the order appointing Natu-el as permanent chief of CCPO came from Camp Crame.

He said it is the Senior Officers and Placement Board (SOPB) which provide a list of possible candidates for city or provincial police director.

A few weeks ago, Rama met with PNP Chief Allan Purisima in Camp Crame to express his desire to have Romana as CCPO chief.

Garbo said Romana could be in  included in the list of candidates that will be submitted to the SOPB.

Garbo said he is not certain if the selection process could be completed on July 1 when newly elected officials assume office.

Garbo said there could also be changes in the Cebu and Bohol provincial police offices since the directors of the two offices have already served their three-year tour of duty.