Marikina police chief sacked

The worsening peace and order problem in Marikina City led to the relief yesterday of its police chief, Senior Superintendent Manuel Gaerlan.

The sacking of Gaerlan had the green light from Marikina City Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando, according to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Vidal Querol

He personally informed Gaerlan of his relief yesterday.

"I have repeatedly told him about the worsening peace and order problem in his city and I could not understand why he has failed to improve the situation," Querol said.

Gaerlan, the topnotcher of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’85, assumed the post in Marikina for more than a year.

Before taking over as chief, the Marikina City had bagged the award for best police station in Metro Manila for two straight years.

Despite the rising criminal cases in his city, Fernando tolerated the continued stay of Gaerlan, hoping he could manage to reverse the trend in Marikina City.

However, the mayor decided to let go of Gaerlan following reports that his men were allegedly involved in a P300,000 "hulidap" operation involving a Japanese national, who had quarreled with his Filipina girlfriend.

The girlfriend filed a complaint with the police and the Japanese was kept for three days at a safehouse. He was released after he allegedly paid P300,000, a source at the NCRPO said.

"Mayor Fernando has received a lot of complaints against the local police, but she ignored them until the case of the Japanese reached her attention. That was the last straw," the NCRPO source claimed.

Chief Superintendent Charlemagne Alejandrino, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD), said Querol has also informed him of Gaerlan’s relief.

"Napansin kasi ni RD (regional director) na hindi bumababa ang crime incidents sa Marikina City kaya’t napilitan na palitan siya," Alejandrino told The Star.

He denied that the case of the Japanese national had something to do with Gaerlan’s relief.

Gaerlan refused to return The Star’s repeated calls yesterday.

Querol named Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., head of the Regional Intelligence and Special Operations Office (RISOO) of the NCRPO, as Gaerlan’s replacement. "Si Ramos ang napili ni Mayor Fernando," he said.

Ramos, a member of the PMA Class ’90, will assume command of the Marikina City police during simple turnover rites on Friday.