Tuguegarao police chief sacked

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines – The police chief of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan has been relieved from his post amid the spate of unsolved crimes in his jurisdiction over the past months.

The relief of Superintendent Eliseo Tanding came two weeks after the failed slay attempt on Tuguegarao Mayor Delfin Ting.

Tanding also got into trouble recently when he reportedly allowed Ting’s aides to carry firearms at the city airport despite the gun ban imposed throughout Cagayan.

Chief Superintendent Francisco Villaroman, Cagayan Valley police director, however, said Tanding has already overstayed in his post. 

“In fact, he was already assigned as deputy police director for operations of the Cagayan police office, which is even a promotion for him,” he said. 

Superintendent Pedro Martirez replaced Tanding as officer-in-charge of the city police effective last week, a move that reportedly caught the ire of the city government, which was batting for his retention.

After Tanding’s relief, the city government recalled the six patrol vehicles, three motorcycles, three computers, three base radios and two air-conditioning units that it had issued to the city police, reportedly for inventory.

Ting could not be immediately reached for comment.

Ting sustained a single bullet wound in the cheek when he was shot with a caliber .22 revolver in front of the family-owned Hotel Delfino in the city’s downtown area last Nov. 15.

Ting’s son, Cagayan third district Rep. Randolph Ting, said the attempt on the life of his father had something to do with politics.     

The incident, along with other crimes, among them believed to be politically motivated, prompted Camp Crame to impose a gun ban throughout Cagayan. – With Raymund Catindig