Cagayan, Isabela cop chiefs see major reshuffling

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — At least a third of town police chiefs both in Isabela and Cagayan provinces have been relieved and reassigned elsewhere this week, in the first major shake-up of police leadership in the Cagayan Valley region.

The reassignments, Police Brig. Gen. Angelito Casimiro, Cagayan Valley regional police director, explained, was prompted by the recommendation of the Cagayan Valley Police Senior Officers' Placement and Promotion Board and Oversight Committee. 

Such recommendation was based on the officials' performance for one month. Casimiro took the helm of the Cagayan Valley police force over a month ago.

Cagayan Valley is composed of five provinces: Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.

Two provincial staff and 12 chiefs of police were reassigned in Isabela while 13 chiefs of police and a force commander in the provincial police office were relieved from their posts by another set of officers in Cagayan province.

Isabela has 34 towns and three cities while Cagayan has 29 towns and one city.

The major shake-up, Casimiro said, is in line with Police Lt. Gen. Archief Gamboa, Philippine National Police OIC, "to implement a strict monitoring of performance of every unit beginning at the National Headquarters down to the Regional levels."

Quoting Gamboa,  Brig. Gen. Casimiro stressed "that all leaders must take full responsibility for the implementation of all law enforcement campaigns and each one will strictly be held accountable on what they do or fail to do."

Casimiro did not give details on why the specific police chiefs and commanders were relieved.

The police official, previously assigned to Mindanao, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1988 and is from Nueva Vizcaya.