Palace: Respect PNP decision to cancel Espenido reassignment

MANILA, Philippines — The Malacañang on Sunday called on the public to respect the Philippine National Police’s decision to cancel Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido’s assignment to the loilo City Police Office. 

“This is the decision reached by the leadership of the Philippine National Police following the established policies and procedures in the transfer, reassignment and designation of their personnel,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“Everyone is enjoined to respect the order of the high command,” he added.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced Espenido’s appointment to Iloilo on August 28.

PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, on the other hand, announced Espenido’s designation following the sudden relief of Iloilo City police chief Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso last August 30. Canieso was promoted to chief of the directorial staff of Police Regional Office-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

However, Espenido’s appointment came into question as he does not yet have the rank of a senior superintendent, the required rank for his new post. 

"Espenido could only be designated as chief of police of a town or component city, and not a chartered city just like in the case of Iloilo City," Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of Police Regional Office-6 (Western Visayas), said in a report on The Freeman.

The deferment of Espenido's reassignment came after the death of Richard Prevendido, said to be the top drug lord in the Western Visayas but police could not say whether the developments are related.

On Friday, Espenido explained that he had to delay his transfer to Iloilo City since he will be tracking down Ricardo “Ardot” Parojinog, brother of slain Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and other alleged members of the Ozamiz City crime group. These suspects remain at large.   —Rosette Adel