By CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City — Supt. Jefferson Descallar, accused of getting involved in illegal drugs, had been relieved as deputy director for operations and Special Operation Group chief of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
Descallar, who leads BCPO’s campaigns against crimes, particularly illegal drugs, protested his relief, saying that it had no basis and that he was not accorded due process.
He was relieved of his duties effective May 9, stated the relief order issued by Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Chief Supt. Josephus Angan.
But his immediate superior, BCPO officer-in-charge Senior Supt. Larry Decena, received the relief order only on Tuesday.
Descallar suspected that a police official assigned in PRO-6 pushed for his relief.
He said that police official accused him of being the “bagman” of former Negros Occidental police director, Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, of “proceeds” from illegal activities in the north.
Panay News is withholding the name of the police official until the paper is able to reach him for comment.
Decena was clueless about the reason for Descallar’s relief, but he said it could be the case the latter is facing.
Supt. Armando Tubongbanua, who had previously occupied Descallar’s posts, will replace the relieved cop, said Decena.
Descallar will be assigned on “floating status” at PRO-6 in Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City.
In a radio interview, Angan said Descallar was relieved over four drug-related cases pending with Regional Trail Court Branch 60 in Cadiz City.
Descallar, then Cadiz police director, and two of his subordinates were charged with violation of Section 92 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for the alleged “delay and bungling” of the prosecution of the drug cases.
Judge Renato Muñez issued on February 29, 2012, a warrant of arrest against them, but all three have posted bail at P40,000 each.
Descallar’s counsel, Lorenzo Alminaza, said his client was not accorded due process.
Alminaza said it was not Descallar but the prosecutor in charge, Marcelo del Pilar, who delayed the prosecution. He said del Pilar was seen with the drug suspects in a restaurant here a day before the cases were filed.
Councilor El Cid Familiaran was surprised by Descallar’s relief.
BCPO’s campaign against illegal drugs may get affected now that Descallar is out of the office, said Familiaran, chair of the City Council’s committee on police, security and jail management.
Familiaran said he is challenging Tubongbanua to “duplicate, if not exceed,” Descallar’s efforts against illegal drugs.
Descallar led the 602nd Regional Mobile Group based in Sagay City before he headed the Cadiz City police.
He also served as police-community relations officer of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and had short stint in Escalante City.
A native of Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, Descallar ranked fourth in his class at the Philippine National Police Academy and was awarded in 2005 as one of the Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service (Junior Police Officer) by the Metrobank Foundation. (With a report from Eugene Adiong/PN)
