BACOLOD CITY , Philippines —The acting police provincial director of Negros Occidental was relieved yesterday (Thursday), following a complain of allegedly engaging in partisan politics.
Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, director of Police Regional Office-Region 6, ordered the immediate relief of Senior Supt. Celestino Guara as officer-in-charge of the Negros Occidental Police.
This was based upon the request of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. to DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, according to Sr. Supt. Milko Lirazan, chief of PRO-6’s Personnel and Human Resource and Doctrine Development (HRDD), yesterday.
Guara, who served as NOPPO caretaker for almost three months, will be replaced by Sr. Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, currently chief of the PRO-6 Intelligence Division and former director of the Bacolod City Police Office. Guara will replace Lirazan at the HRDD post, while the latter is set to take the vacated position of de la Paz.
The governor accused Guara of engaging in partisan politics, which also resulted to the latter’s failure to inform him of high-profile incidents in Negros Occidental.
Guara vehemently denied engaging in partisan politics, and Cruz earlier said that there was no evidence showing that embattled official had engaged in such illegal activity.
De la Paz assured Negrenses and local officials of police impartiality in the May 13 elections, and stressed he will not allow or tolerate policemen engaging in partisan politics.
“We will be fair to everybody, and ensure that the election will be peaceful and orderly, in tandem with the Comelec and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,†Dela Paz said.* (FREEMAN)