65 TALISAY COPS OUT
Relief order follows announcement of Duterte that most of Talisay City’s police force are involved in drugs
Will Talisay City’s drug problem be solved now that its police officers, who were accused of being involved in illegal drugs, were relieved?
Effective today, all 65 police officers, including two officials, in Talisay City are relieved of their posts due to allegations that some of them are involved in illegal drugs.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Chief Supt. Debold Sinas announced this during an assembly held at the Talisay City Police Station earlier today.
The 65 police officers were also required to undergo drug tests at the station.
Some of the police officers who were relieved from their posts were disappointed by Sinas’ decision but they said they have no choice but to follow orders.
Talisay City Vice Mayor Alan Bucao was also surprised by the development.
“Personally, I was caught flat-footed. If I had my way, it would have been better to retain some senior police officers to guide the younger ones. There is also a possibility that our traffic police force’s work could be affected especially that all of their personnel have been reassigned. But we can do nothing but support the PNP’s decision,” he said.
During the assembly yesterday, Sinas said he ordered the police officers’ relief after President Rodrigo Duterte announced recently that majority of policemen assigned in Talisay City are involved in illegal drugs.
Among those relieved are Insps. Rene Cerna and Ronaldo Logrono, both serving as deputy police chiefs.
Only Supt. Marlu Conag, the city police chief, was retained from his position.
Sinas said the 65 police officers will be reassigned to the PRO 7 office in Cebu City where they will undergo a 15-day moral recovery program and a four-month enhanced basic internal security operations Course (EBISOC).
Sinas said that after their training, the officers will be evaluated by a board.
“Kung talagang wala kayong involvement sa illegal drugs, then wala kayong problema kung i-evaluate kayo (If you’re not involved in drugs, then you won’t have any problem),” Sinas said.
But he said he cannot assure if the police officers will be able to return to Talisay City after their retraining.
Sinas also announced that eight investigators of the station will also be investigated for reportedly withholding evidence in big-time drug cases that the police were handling.
He has ordered all investigators to turn over all of their case folders to the regional headquarters so they can be properly assessed.
If found guilty, the eight officers could be administratively and criminally charged, Sinas said.
Following the relief of the 65 police officers, 69 personnel from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion also arrived in Talisay City to serve as their replacement.
Chief Insp. Ardiolito Cabagnot, who leads the RMFB company, has been appointed by Sinas as Conag’s new deputy.
Senior Supt. Manuel Abrugena, Cebu Provincial Police Office director, said it was unfortunate that the personnel from Talisay had to be relieved, but it was necessary to quell allegations that some of them were involved in illegal activities.
Some of the police officers who were relieved said it was unfair that all of them were subjected to retraining due to some bad apples.
“Nanarbaho baya mig tarong. Kon naa man untay badlongon, siya na lang unta dili kaming tanan (We are doing our job well here. If one is involved in drugs, the rest should not be included),” said an officer, who refused to identify himself.
Cabagnot said it will be a challenge for him and his personnel to adjust to a police station setting, especially that majority of his police officers are rookies.
Majority of the police officers from RMFB that will be reassigned in Talisay City have ranks of police officers 1 and 2 and have no experience working in a police station, Cabagnot said. /