Has the mayor “chickened out” on Garma?
“Prove it, prove it.” This is the strongly-worded statement of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Royina Garma as she challenged the chief executive on his allegations that the spate of killings in the city is the handiwork of a vigilante group being protected by the police. “Puro kayo baka, baka. Pulos lang insinuations,” Garma told reporters over the weekend.
The “former political has-been” has said that the spate of killings in Metro Cebu may be state-sponsored, meaning government agents were behind it or it’s the work of a vigilante group being protected by the police. He based his suspicion on the attempted ambush of his political ally, former Tejero barangay captain now councilor Jessielou “Jingjing” Cadungog, whose driver-bodyguard William Macaslang shot PO3 Eugene Calumba, after he saw the policeman who was reportedly conducting surveillance, attempting to shoot him inside the vehicle.
This is the first time I heard a chief of police issuing a challenge to a local chief executive. Usually, it’s the local chief executive who can order or directs the police chief what to do. This is very insulting on the part of the “former political has-been,” who is known for his arrogance and dictatorial tendencies. Garma really has the “balls” to confront and answer back to the chief executive. Is Garma relying on someone in power? Remember, she was assigned in Davao City.
So did the “former political has-been” chicken out? Did he decide not to do something because he got frightened by the police’s challenge? I say this because he has been silent on the matter. He had no “violent reaction.” Before, if he didn’t like the police chief, he would withdraw the City Government’s support to the police like stopping their monthly allowance and logistical support.
In the report of this paper yesterday, the “former political has-been” announced that the City would no longer shoulder the expenses for mainte- nance and registration of vehicles City Hall issued to the police. “We are drawing the line. From now on, all the Citiy-ssued vehicles that are with the police, they take care of their own maintenance. I am not going to bother with that,” he told reporters. City Hall had issued 15 vehicles to the police.
Was that enough to “discipline” the police? No. He should impose a heavier penalty like recalling all those vehicles, stop providing the police with gasoline and other logistical support. He did it before and he should do it again because he does not like the police, especially since his chief of police issued him a challenge. He should also show that he has the “balls” to impose disciplinary action on his police chief. Unsa man, “kakak” siya?
Is he afraid to do it again because of what happened two years ago when the National Police Commission stripped him of his supervisory control over the police when he refused to accept former CCPO director Joel Doria because he wanted to install a police officer close to him. It was only restored when he went to Davao City and sought an audience with President Duterte.
I suspect that Garma, whom I believe has the strong backing of the powers that be, was purposely assigned here with a mission--and that is to put a stop to the illegal drug trade, especially those narco-politicians. I can compare her to Chief Insp. Jovi Espenido who was sent to Ozamiz City with also a mission. And he accomplished it. You already know what happened to the family of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, who was also known as the leader of the dreaded Kuratong Baleleng gang.
I was in Davao City a month ago conducting a seminar on radio news and commentary with our Radyo GMA (RGMA) colleagues there. Some media people told me about the exploits of Garma when she was assigned as one of the sub-station chiefs there during the time of then mayor Duterte. Her promotion was so fast. I was told that even PRO 7 Chief Debold Sinas is afraid of her.
Hala ka.
This is the first time I heard a chief of police issuing a challenge to a local chief executive. Usually, it’s the other way around