Newly installed Zamboanga City mayor sacks police chief over 40 unsolved killings

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines— Incensed by what she described as the police’s inability to solve a spate of killings here, newly installed Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar sacked the city’s police director Senior Superintendent Edwin De Ocampo.

The Sanggunihang Panlungsod  backed Salazar’s decision and passed a resolution calling for De Ocampo’s removal.

“The people are also outraged by the killings. We cannot tolerate the killings because that would be protecting the police for its ineffectiveness,” she said.

Based on the records of the city police office, at least 40 people have died in gun attacks here since the start of the year and no suspect has been arrested yet.

Compounding the situation is that four of the victims were themselves policemen, according to Chief Inspector Arlan Dalumpines, the chief of the city police’s investigation division.

Three of the policemen — SPO2 Rowan Lim, SPO1 Bong Jambiran and P01 Insang — were killed in separate attacks on June 30 as Salazar was taking her oath of office.  Two others were also wounded.

The fourth law enforcer to be killed was P03 Husin Mushin, who was shot in Barangay Lower Calarian.

Salazar said the fact that the police were slow in solving the killings meant that somebody had to be made responsible, especially the city police director.

“As per instruction from Chief Superintendent Juanito Vano (the Western Mindanao police chief), a temporary city director will be assigned to replace De Ocampo,” she said.

Salazar said that in an effort to help the police fight criminality, she has started to oversee police operations and even now joins patrols along with Councilor Roel Natividad.

“I do the checking, lecture, investigate and give out assignments and tests,” Salazar said, showing signs of exasperation at the low crime-solution efficiency of the police force.

Salazar said she did not want to see the police failing in its duty to protect the public from criminals.

“We will evaluate the gaps and see if they needed to be re-trained or suspended,” she said.