Loot stripped of police escorts

Amid killings targeting local chief executives, police yesterday revealed they have recalled the police security for Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot.

Police Regional Office-7 Director, Chief Supt. Debold Sinas said the assigned officers for Loot were only good for the election period, which ended more than a month ago on May 21.

So far, police have not received any request for Loot’s personal security.

“I will not expound it. The request to Loot was given during elections. Eh tapos na yung elections. We have to recall it because the Commission on Elections ordered it for the election time. After that, gi-recall na namo and wala naman siya nag-request,” Sinas told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

Among mayors in Cebu, only Loot was stripped of his police detail. If he requests for one from the PNP, Sinas said they will refer him to the Police Security Protection Group.

“Actually wala man mi gi-recall nga security, except lang ka Loot. The rest were retained, except for the instruction nga ilisdan ang mga PO1 (police officer 1),” he said.

The order to replace local chief executives’ security escorts with a rank of PO1 came from the national police headquarters. They will be replaced with those with a higher rank.

Sinas said that as neophyte cops, PO1s have to be exposed in the jobs done on field, such as beat patrolling, among others.

Loot’s stepson Sun Shimura, a Provincial Board member representing Cebu’s fourth district, yesterday told reporters that the recall of his stepdad’s police escorts is causing a “big concern” for the mayor.

“Hopefully, maprotektahan ang atong mga local chief executives. Dako gyud namong kaguol, especially sa family ni Mayor Vic Loot,” he said.

Shimura stressed the need to keep mayors safe, especially his stepdad, who survived an ambush at a port in Maya, Daanbatayan in May.

He clarified though that he does not want to doubt the timing of the recall and its possible link to the recent shooting incidents in Luzon, which left at least two mayors and a vice mayor dead.

Loot, who was tagged by President Duterte as a “narco general,” is not fond of hiring a personal security aide, said Shimura.

“Hopefully, maluoy pud nga mga kadagkoan sa PNP ilabi na kay duna sab silay pamilya,” the board member said.

The FREEMAN tried to reach Loot by phone yesterday but there was no response from his end.

Sinas, meanwhile, belied insinuations that the replacement of police security is meant to put local chief executives in vulnerable position, becoming easy targets for killers.

“Wala gituyo. It so happened lang nga ingon ato (in reference to two consecutive deaths) but wala may target nga mayor,” he said.

He advised local executives to take preventive measures and shore up their own security. He also said PRO-7’s Regional Intelligence Division (RID) has been tasked to monitor direct threats to local chief executives.

“Ang ako ika-advise is to beef up and enhance security. As of now, we are checking with RID kung naa bay threat. We cannot guarantee (their safety) but we have intensified anticriminality efforts,” Sinas said.

Shimura said he will meet with Sinas to ask at least one police officer to be detailed for Loot.