Bayawan police chief relieved

CEBU, Philippines — The chief of the Bayawan City Police in Negros Oriental was relieved from his post after an unsatisfactory performance in running the police station.

Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NORPPO) Director Julian Entoma said Lt. Col. Alfonso Enriquez failed to look into the shooting incidents in Bayawan, including the killing of Councilor Alex Tizon on February 18, 2020.

 “Series of incidents na ni siya diri sa iyang area murag pito na ni nga shooting incident nahitabo sa Bayawan City unya out of seven, usa ra ang na-file nga kaso… makita man ang percentage sa krimen ilabi na nga sensational pud ni ang nahitabo sa pagkamatay sa usa ka city councilor diha sa Bayawan maong ato na ma-consider nga kuwang ang pag-supervise sa hepe sa deployment, sa tawo,” Entoma said.

[It was a series of incidents in Bayawan City… about seven of them… and only one case was filed… we can see the crime percentage, especially that the killing of a councilor is a sensational one, so we can consider that the police chief fell short in supervising the deployment and of his men.]

 Enriquez allegedly failed to implement the police’s Campaign Against Anti-Criminality, which should have involved more police visibility and checkpoints in Bayawan.

Entoma said the people will lose trust in the police force with this performance that is why the chief has to be relieved.

 Enriquez assumed as Bayawan Police chief only in December 2019. He will be replaced by Lt. Col. Judi Mar Bonilla, the current commander of the NORPPO Provincial Military Force Company.

Enriquez will be designated as administration chief of the NORPPO Provincial Headquarters in Sibulan town, also in Negros Oriental. JMO (FREEMAN)