Bato cancels Espenido 90-day suspension

Controversial Ozamiz City police director Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido will not be serving out his 90-day suspension after the order was canceled by the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camp Crame.

In the special order approved by PNP chief Ronaldo Dela Rosa, the suspension order on Espenido dated July 7 was set aside effective July 13.

Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), said the order does not cite reasons of the cancellation.

“Wala nakabutang ang reasons. We are just following orders from the National Headquarters,”Gonda said.

Gonda also said they have not been able to receive a copy of the case details that led to the supposed suspension order.

But, Gonda earlier said the suspension stemmed from an Ombudsman decision in relation to a case filed by Ormoc City mayor Richard Gomezwho had sued Espenido after the former Albuera, Leyte and now Ozamiz City police chief linked Gomez to illegal drugs.

“Wala pa pud ko kita sa decision sa Ombudsman,”Gonda added.

Espenido became Ozamis City December last year.

Espenido figured in yet another controversy after families of slain robbery and gunfor-hire suspects killed in a supposed police operation cried foul for Espenido’s decision to lay out the corpses of their kin in front of City Hall for about 12 hours last July 2.

The police chief explained that the corpses were displayed so that kin can identify them and so that people allegedly victimized by the slain suspects can come forward.

Espenido was also made to explain a supposed police brutality video of himself hitting a drug suspect in police custody.

Gonda said after the suspension order was canceled, Espenido will remain the city director of Ozamis City.