PNP chief sacks 3 Surigao del Norte police officials

Philippine National Police chief Deputy Director General Nicanor Bartolome. Danica hermogenes/INQUIRER.net

Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome of the Philippine National Police on Tuesday sacked three police officials in Surigao del Norte for failing to detect the movement of New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas who raided three mining firms in the province on Monday.

Bartolome said he had relieved the provincial director, Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Talento; the Provincial Police Security Company (PPSC) commander, Superintendent Rudy Cuyop; and the Claver municipal police station chief, Senior Inspector Diomedes Cuadra.

“I ordered an investigation as to why they were not able to detect the movements of such a large force of the NPA and why they were not able to act and react especially when the members of the NPA were already retreating,” he said in an ambush interview at Camp Crame.

The dismissed officials will be replaced soon by officials recommended by the Caraga regional police, Bartolome said.

Pursuing rebels

Asked if there was a failure of intelligence on the part of the police, Bartolome said: “Apparently, there’s a problem, and that’s why we are calling an investigation.”

The PNP chief said one company each from the Special Action Force and the Regional Mobile Group, along with PPSC elements and Armed Forces of the Philippines units, had been deployed to the area to conduct mopping up operations and to pursue the rebels.

Bartolome said the attacks should not hamper the peace process with the communist leadership, which is in talks with the government.

“We have a peace process. We observe the peace process. We will continue to observe the peace process,” he said.

But he said the NPA had struck first, thus, the PNP should not be prevented from engaging and chasing after the guerrillas who raided the mines.