Relief of cop chief alarms mayor

CEBU, Philippines - The relief of the chief of police of Dumanjug town and six other policemen alarmed Mayor Nelson Garcia following rumors that he will be assassinated before election day.

Garcia said that the six policemen including their chief, Insp. Robert Lucernas, were just awarded by the municipal government following the arrest of armed men, suspected to be political goons, last month.

The others who were relieved are SPO3 Felipe Vibar, SPO2s John Eric Cordovez and Joel Sarmiento, PO2 Rafael Baritua and PO1s Danny Canero and Achilles Redoble.

He said that the local police were just doing their job to maintain peace and order in the municipality and to respond presence of armed men in the mountain barangays.

"Kining pag-relieve nila sa mga pulis part ni sa ila plano to eliminate me kay wa nako'y protection," Garcia said.

Garcia earlier alleged that the Regional Mobile Group and the Regional Public Safety Battalion are being used by the Liberal Party. He said if anything happens to him lawyer Edgar Gica whose sons, Efren "Gun-Gun" who is running for vice mayor and Erwin "Wado" who is running for councilor under LP, are behind it.

"Unsa gani mahitabo nako, kana sila si Gica ug duha ka anak will be held responsible," warned Garcia, of One Cebu Party, who is seeking re-election against former mayor Cesar Baricuatro of LP.

Garcia said that there was talk circulating that the Gicas can order Police Regional Office 7 Director, Gen. Marcelo Garbo, to do what they want.

One of the armed men, Leo Anggana, who escaped from authorities after his arrest, was reportedly accompanying Gun-Gun and is the one who has a standing order to assassinate him, Garcia claimed.

Gica brushed off Garcia' allegations, saying Garcia is just hallucinating. 

The relieved policemen will be temporarily assigned at the Regional Personnel Holding Administrative Unit-7.

Lucernas will be replaced starting today by Insp. Rogelio Amoroso, one of the team leaders of the Provincial Intelligence Branch. In a phone interview, Lucernas said he has no idea why he was relieved and clarified that he never sided with any politicians in the town.

"Wala man mi gidapigan kay di mana trabaho sa pulis," Lucernas said.

The FREEMAN tried to call Supt. Clifford Gairanod, Regional Mobile Group chief, for his comment on complaints that RMG personnel did not respond to the alleged armed men in the mountain barangays in the town, but he was not available for comment.

Also relieved

Meanwhile, the chief of the Sogo Police Station, Senior Insp. Jose Rovic Villarin, was also relieved. He received his relief order from the Cebu Provincial Police Office yesterday which took effect last May 5.

He is now assigned at the Provincial Public Safety Company of the CPPO. Villarin will be replaced by Chief Insp. Randy Naval, who is from the CPPO headquarters.

According to Villarin, his relief was not election-related. He said he sent a letter to CPPO director Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador asking him for his relief.

"Nag-file gyud ko para sa akong relief," Villarin said in a phone interview.

He added he just wanted a break from election duties and being a station chief. –(FREEMAN)