LAGUNA , Philippines – Eight of the 30 police chiefs in this province, who were designated as officers-in-charge in the recent midterm polls, were removed from their posts yesterday, as new local officials started their term of office.
Senior Superintendent Pascual Muñoz, Laguna police director, said the police chief of Los Baños, Superintendent Arthur Masongsong, was replaced by Superintendent Andres Simbajon, former public information officer of the Calabarzon police.
Muñoz said the police chiefs of Sta. Maria, Siniloan, Pangil, Paete, Pila and Magdalena towns were also relieved from their posts.
Muñoz told The STAR that some of them had overstayed in their posts for nearly two years while others had failed to curb criminality in their turfs.
The reshuffle took effect in the province’s fourth district yesterday, while the revamp in the first to third districts will be announced this week, Muñoz said.
He said city and municipal mayors can choose their respective police chiefs based on Memorandum Circular 2002-011 issued by the National Police Commission.