Nerez: Tanods can't undertake police mandate

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office-7 director Lani-O Nerez finally “gave a piece of his mind” by confirming his support for Cebu Provincial Police Office director Jesus Gaquing should Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob insist to have his police bodyguards back.

Nerez, in an interview with reporters yesterday, reiterated Department of the Interior and Local Government regional director Pedro Noval’s statement that Gungob cannot dismiss policemen assigned in his town and have them replaced by barangay tanods.

“We should understand that it is PNP’s mandate to serve and protect. We cannot just pull out police anywhere, labi na if ang order wala’y legal basis,” Nerez said.

Gungob made the threat when his two police escorts, PO3s Sherwin Leyson and Joehrahmie Espinosa were reassigned after several residents in Consolacion filed a complaint regarding them before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas.

The PRO-7 director also said that Gungob cannot have the police vacate the police station situated on the first floor of the municipal building because it is a public edifice.

“The presence, the role, the mandate of the police cannot be undertaken by tanods; kaya nga may tinatawag na police authority,” Nerez said. He said Gaquing informed him and asked for his blessing beforehand when he relieved the two policemen.

Nerez, though, hopes the mayor reconsiders his position and that he and Gaquing will finally patch up differences.

When asked about the replacement of the police escorts, Nerez pointed out that they can only follow legal orders, like replacing the police escorts pulled out from Gungob, if there is a request for his primary security.

However, Nerez further said, that the request has to undergo a case-to-case basis. A person who needs police escorts has to undergo threat assessment first before the Police Security and Protection Office-7 decides whether to provide him or not with such escorts.

The PRO-7 director also said he would ask PO3s Leyson and Espinosa to report to him. There were allegations that the said policemen somehow sought help from Gungob when they were pulled out and now relieved to the Provincial Mobile Group.

“Let us always remember nga we are team in the police service. We are public servants. Kinahanglan atong tan-awon permi ang serbisyo o kaayohan nga atong mahatag sa kadaghanan. After all, we entered police service for that purpose,” Nerez said. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)