Aurora top cop sacked over rising crimes

ANGELES CITY , Philippines  – Central Luzon police director Chief Superintendent Allan Purisima has relieved the police chief of Aurora province following complaint of Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo that crimes have peaked and illegal logging have continued unabated in the recent months.

Purisima said Senior Superintendent Jojo Gumban replaced yesterday Senior Superintendent Rosvi Manulid as director of the Aurora police. Manulid occupied his post for only seven months.

Angara-Castillo had wanted Senior Superintendent Benjamin Hulipas to replace Manulid but Purisima said Hulipas was not in the list prepared by the police for consideration.    

The governor herself had asked Purisima to replace Manulid amid her claims that crime rate rose and illegal logging remained unabated since he assumed post.

The governor said she herself was a victim of local criminals who took off with a power generator installed in her house in Baler. She recalled that the generator was returned after she gave Manulid an ultimatum of 24 hours to solve the crime.

Angara-Castillo also cited a recent day-time holdup in which a business establishment lost P1 million to culprits who have remained at large. This, she noted, rarely happened in her province, even in the capital town of Baler.   

She said that elsewhere in the province, illegal logging operations have continued unabated.

“Before, Aurora always had the lowest crime rate in Central Luzon if not in the country. That is something I want preserved,” she said.    

She stressed that the worsening peace and order situation in Aurora has countered efforts of the provincial government to promote tourism in the province.  – With Ric Sapnu, Manny Galvez