Pasay’s top cop sacked

MANILA, Philippines - Pasay police chief Senior Superintendent Florencio Ortilla was removed from his post yesterday for failing to check the rising cases of theft and robbery in the city.

Ortilla is the third police official to be sacked since National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria started rating the performance of 38 station commanders in the war against crime starting June 16.

Ortilla’s relief came a day after Interior Secretary Mar Roxas directed Valmoria to relieve police commanders who are remiss in fighting crime.

Mishandled shooting score?

Valmoria dismissed reports that Ortilla was relieved because of his mishandling of President Aquino’s total score during a shooting competition at Hacienda Luisita last week. According to circulating reports, Ortilla served as a range officer in the shootfest.

“That report regarding the shootfest is far from the truth. Ortilla was relieved because our weekly crime assessment showed him unable to check the growing cases of theft and robbery in Pasay City,” Valmoria said in an interview.

Earlier, Caloocan police chief Senior Superintendent Bernard Tambaoan was relieved after his men was found tampering with the records of crime statistics while Superintendent Luis Francisco, commander of Station 11 of the Manila Police District (MPD), was sacked because he failed to implement the minimum number of checkpoint operations in his area – at least three teams on three shifts per day.

Valmoria said Ortilla will be temporarily assigned at the Regional Police Holding Administrative Unit in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Ortilla’s deputy, Superintendent Alex Fulgar, will act as officer-in-charge of the Pasay police force.

Valmoria said the weekly assessment of reported crimes in Metro Manila is a continuing process and police commanders who fail to perform their jobs would be administratively relieved.