Espenido relieved from Bacolod police

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Controversial police official Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido has been relieved as deputy chief for operations and head of the drug enforcement unit of the police in this city.

Espenido’s relief was effective on Wednesday, Lt. Col. Joem Malong, Western Visayas police spokesperson, said yesterday.

The relief order was issued by Maj. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag, chief of the Philippine National Police directorial staff. It was signed by Gen. Reynaldo Biay of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.

President Duterte assigned Espenido in this city last year to head the anti-drug campaign.

Malong said she is not aware what prompted Espenido’s relief. She said Espenido would be transferred to the office of the PNP chief.

Citing the number of drug personalities and recovery of large volumes of illegal drugs, Espenido said Bacolod is a ”shabulized city.”

Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife and several other family members were killed in drug raids when Espenido was the town’s police chief.

Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte was killed in an alleged shootout with police officers serving a search warrant at his cell, also when Espenido was police chief.