3 erring city police chiefs get reprieve

Despite an order for their relief from the leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the police chiefs of three Metro Manila cities will remain in their posts, at least for now.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo Jr. said Saturday that although he had already received the relief orders from the PNP headquarters, these have yet to be implemented because he was still “waiting for the concurrence of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).”

The top police officials of the cities of Pasay, Taguig and Mandaluyong were ordered relieved on Oct. 8 by the PNP leadership pending an investigation after they allegedly underreported the crime statistics in their areas for the first half of the year.

Based on Comelec Resolution No. 9733 issued in July,  no changes in the assignments of police personnel should be made between Sept. 28 and Nov. 12 in connection with the barangay elections on Oct. 28.

“I would also need to inform the mayors [in their areas] first, out of respect,” Garbo told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

He added, however, that there were officers-in-charge who were ready to take the place of the three police officials who would be temporarily assigned to the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.

“Since it is Camp Crame [the Philippine National Police main headquarters] that is investigating them, they may also be transferred there,” Garbo said.

Earlier, Southern Police District (SPD) director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte also said that until his office receives a formal implementing directive, Taguig police chief Senior Supt. Arthus Asis and Pasay police chief Senior Supt. Rodolfo Llorca shall remain in their posts.

Pasay and Taguig are under the jurisdiction of the SPD.  On the other hand, Senior Supt. Florendo Quibuyen, Mandaluyong police chief, is with the Eastern Police District.

Aside from the three officials, several others have been asked to explain why the crime statistics cited in the reports they submitted to the PNP headquarters were lower by 40 percent to 60 percent compared to the findings of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management validation teams.