Mayors’ support to PNP assessed

CEBU, Philippines — The National Police Commission – 7 has been directed to evaluate the support of local government units to the police’s peace and order programs to determine if mayors in Central Visayas will retain their supervisory control over the police.

NAPOLCOM has 10 days to submit its report and recommendation.

The agency’s spokesperson in the region, Risty Sibay, clarified that the evaluation is not targeted on Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña who has been highly critical of the PNP.

The mayor also figured in a controversy when he took custody of three suspects the police arrested for which the city police filed charges against him.

NAPOLCOM-7 already received a copy of the cases.

“The memorandum of our vice chairman is directing us to submit reports sa among evaluation diri sa Region-7 within five to 10 days. We are not speaking only in the case of Mayor Osmeña but sa tanan… ang mga deputies mag-evaluate man ta sa mga reports makuha sa field,” Sibay said.

The memorandum is reportedly in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for local government units chiefs to support the PNP’s peace and order programs.

Sibay said evaluation will be based on crime statistics from the police and reports from the mayors.

He assured that the evaluation will be impartial.

NAPOLCOM Vice Chairman and Executive Officer Rogelio Casurao has said that Osmeña cannot be stripped off his supervisory control over the police easily despite his criticisms and the cases the PNP filed against him.

He said NAPOLCOM would need a formal complaint filed against Osmeña for the agency to open an investigation.

“These are adverse reports, but then again, naa ta proseso to go about this. It takes a lot of validation. We don’t want to be biased; we don’t want to preempt anything without actual validated evidence. It is easy to say that these are reasons for revocation, but these have to be complemented by actual validation to support that there is really a need to revoke,” Casurao said earlier.

Relationship

Yesterday, Police Regional Office - 7 spokesperson Reyman Tolentin said the police would still want a good working relationship with Osmeña.

“As far as the region is concerned, we are only, always looking for a good relationship between the local chief executive and the police,” Tolentin said.

He said it is now up to NAPOLCOM to evaluate Osmeña.

“It’s up to the NAPOLCOM to evaluate. Ilaha sad na mandato, that’s why we will not comment on it… if we will be happy or not, naa ra mi sa gitna, because the people will be affected… as I have said, the region is looking for a good relationship (with Osmeña),” he said.

He emphasized, nevertheless, that PRO-7 will continue to support the decisions of the city police, including the filing of cases against the mayor.

“Bisag unsa action nila (CCPO), we will be backing up. We really trust Cebu City to handle and manage their affairs,” Tolentin said.

CCPO sued Osmeña for obstruction of justice, grave abuse of authority, misconduct, and violation of the ethical standards for government employees for taking custody of the three suspects.

Osmeña has been criticizing the police for the spate of killings in Cebu and the province.

Tolentin said NAPOLCOM has a process to follow in revoking a mayor’s supervisory control.

Under Section 51 of Republic Act 6975 or Powers of Local Government Officials over the Philippine National Police (PNP) units or forces, mayors have operational supervision and control over PNP units respective to their jurisdiction.

The term "operational supervision and control" means the power to direct, superintend, oversee, and inspect the police units and forces.

Under Section 52 of the same law, that operation supervision can be suspended or withdrawn on the these grounds - frequent unauthorized absences, abuse of authority, providing material support to criminal elements, and engaging in acts inimical to national security or which negate the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign.

Once a complaint is filed before NAPOLCOM against a local chief executive, the agency’s regional director will evaluate the complaint to determine if it has complied with the prerequisites. (FREEMAN)