MANILA, Philippines - The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) was urged yesterday to act on complaints filed against an alleged abusive police official in Zamboanga del Norte.
Secretary general Toby Tiangco of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) called the DILG’s attention to the matter as complaints have mounted against Superintendent Reynaldo Maclang, commander of the Police Public Safety Company (PPSC) in Dipolog City.
As this developed, Senior Superintendent James Mejia, provincial police director, said Maclang voluntarily stepped down from his post last Aug. 1.
“There were urgent petitions from ordinary folk and even from international human rights groups for the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Secretary (Mar) Roxas to reprimand and file charges against Maclang since 2011. But all these appeals fell on deaf ears and were never acted upon,†Tiangco said.
He said Maclang was allegedly involved in a string of cases ranging from grave abuse of authority to human rights violations.
Complaints of harassment during the May elections were also filed by local opposition bets against the police official.
Tiangco said Mariano Candelaria Jr. and Lolito Miraveles, both of Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte, accused Maclang of engaging in partisan political activities and harassment.
“During the elections, Maclang’s influence was not only concentrated in Gutalac, but in almost the entire Zamboanga del Norte. And what is more dismaying is that he was even promoted,†Tiangco said.
He said Maclang has allegedly been linked to a number of unresolved killings of journalists, media workers and political opponents blamed on the Zamboanga del Norte police. – With Roel Pareño