Mayors question Berroya’s move

SAN FERNANDO CITY — Pampanga mayors have expressed surprise over the decision of Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya, Central Luzon police director, to bypass a Capampangan police official whom Gov. Lito Lapid had chosen to be the new provincial police chief.

Mexico Mayor Ernesto Punsalan said he was baffled by Berroyo’s sudden appointment of Senior Superintendent Arturo Cacdac, former Angeles City police chief, as the new Pampanga police director last Thursday night.

Punsalan said he and l7 other mayors earlier had written Director General Leandro Mendoza, Philippine National Police chief, nominating Senior Superintendent Efren Alamares for the post.

Alamares could have been the first Capampangan to have been named provincial police director, he said.

Alamares, Punsalan said, is a native of Angeles City. "He has gained the trust of both the leaders and constituents of Angeles and the rest of Pampanga," he said.

Before he left for Hong Kong the other day, Lapid reportedly threatened to bolt the ruling Lakas party if Berroya would not be booted out.

"Binastos ako (I was shamed)," Lapid was quoted as saying.

Under the Local Government Code, a local chief executive has the sole power to choose the head of the local police from a list of police nominees.