Gayotin to seek reconsideration once Osmeña disbands MPG

Acting city police director Melvin Gayotin said he would ask for reconsideration once Mayor Tomas Osmeña pushes through with his plan disbanding the Mobile Patrol Group.

Osmeña, in his regular press conference yesterday, raised the possibility of disbanding the MPG, pointing out that it is the Crime Suppression Unit that should be dispatched to respond to alarms.

"If I can receive the order I will ask for a reconsideration because MPG is now under a new chief, who deserves a chance," Gayotin said.

Yesterday, Chief Inspector Arnel Banzon took over as new MPG chief, replacing Police Supt. Herman Lungayan who is now the new Carbon Police Station chief.

Osmeña asked for the relief of Lungayan from the MPG following the killing of PO2 Armando Juegos and PO2 Oliver Jamboy of the CSU by a vendor Sunday evening. The mayor blamed Lungayan for the two policemen's "laxity" in responding to the alarm that led to their death.

Gayotin said yesterday that if the mayor will not reconsider his plan, then "MPG will be disbanded and only the CSU will remain."

He said the MPG operatives might be retrained to be at par with members of the CSU in terms of proper law enforcement.

But Gayotin said the mayor has not discussed with him the possibility of disbanding the MPG. Banzon, in an in interview with The Freeman the other day, said as he was going back to MPG, he would see to it that the "guard mounting" is strictly followed everyday.

This means that the checking of attendance, information disseminations and other instructions are properly taken before the troops take their assignments. - Ryan P. Borinaga