4 Cagayan cops sacked over relief ops ‘credit grab’

TUGUEGARAO CITY — Four police officers in Cagayan province were relieved of their posts on Wednesday after they reportedly tried to grab the credit from a private youth organization that was distributing relief goods to typhoon-hit villagers in Santa Teresita town, an official of the Cagayan Valley police said.

Police Lt. Col. Andree Michelle Abella, the Cagayan Valley police spokesperson, said Police Senior Master Sgt. Rodrigo Sapla, Police Cpl. Maria Theresa Castillo, Patrolman Ernesto Belen Jr., and Patrolman Valerie Calagan were all placed on a floating status and would undergo a “reorientation” seminar.

Abella clarified that Police Capt. Ranolfo Gabatin, the Santa Teresita police chief, was not relieved of his post contrary to an earlier statement of the regional police office. Gabatin, he said, was not informed about the activity of his subordinates.

A video of the incident went viral on social media after Zach Xavier Singson, team leader of the youth group Oplan Bangon Cagayan, posted about their experience with the four police officers while his group was distributing relief goods at Barangay Mission in Santa Teresita on Oct. 31.

‘Shocked’

In a phone interview on Thursday, Singson said they were caught off guard when the four police officers showed up during the relief distribution and put up a tarpaulin with “Duterte Legacy” on it. The Philippine National Police launched in September a community relations program called the “Duterte Legacy: Barangayanihan Caravan Towards National Recovery,” mainly a food aid drive.

Singson said the youth volunteers were then asked to take at least two photos of the officers while handing out some of the relief goods after putting up the tarpaulin in the background.

“We were shocked. We initially thought that the barangay (village) and the MDRRMO (Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office) had a prior agreement for the same activity,” Singson said.

Singson said they tried to explain to the police officers that it was a private relief operation.

“While we were still having a discussion, they (police officers) already had their photos taken with their tarpaulin and then left the place,” Singson added.

Singson said he had since met with Police Brig. Gen. Steve Ludan, Cagayan Valley police director, who told him that it was an “isolated case” caused by a “misunderstanding” but assured that proper actions were already taken against the police officers.

Earlier, Gabatin maintained that the police officers were “nonpartisan” and that they went to the relief operation to ensure that health protocols against COVID-19 were followed.

In a comment on Singson’s post, Gabatin even justified the putting up of the “Duterte Legacy” tarpaulin as “just part of our activity when we lend help in coordination with other people or group.”