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Mabilog: But I can’t give orders to cops ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – Youth gangs are getting aggressive but stripped of his power over the police, all that Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog can do now is make an appeal to the city’s law enforcers.
Following Sunday’s fatal shooting of a teenager outside the Smallville entertainment complex in Mandurriao district, Mabilog urged the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to deploy more police officers in the area.
The shooting victim, 18-year-old Vincent Albert Tan of Barangay Ticud, La Paz district, was allegedly part of a group of young people the police called “Shoktong Gang.”
“I cannot anymore order the police what to do. But I hope the incident would prompt the city police to tighten security measures in the area,” said Mabilog.
On Oct. 27 the National Police Commission (Napolcom) Region 6 received an order from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Napolcom central office stripping Mabilog of authority over the ICPO. This was almost three months after President Rodrigo Duterte publicly branded him a drug coddler.
Sunday’s shooting left Tan dead and 29-year-old Robert Angelo Lozada of Barangay Daanbanwa, Lambunao, Iloilo wounded.
Despite the DILG and Napolcom order against him, Mabilog said the city government will continue to support the ICPO.
“Ang akun subong, kun ano ang ila kinahanglanon nga bulig. Bal-an nyo naman nga wala kita mahimo kun ano ang resulta. Pero ang suporta ara man gihapon,” said Mabilog.
The mayor is now prohibited from issuing directives for the conduct of operations to stop illegal activities and neutralize criminal syndicates.
He also cannot anymore determine police operational strategies nor direct the employment and deployment of units or elements of the ICPO.
So what can Mabilog do? He said he planned to facilitate a meeting between barangay officials and policemen to discuss the problem on gangsterism.
Just this Oct. 29, a grenade exploded near a skate park n Barangay East Baluarte, Molo district. Senior Inspector Mark Cordero, Molo police chief, did not discount the possibility that warring groups of young skating enthusiasts may be behind the blast.
They often hanged out at the park, said Cordero.
The ICPO should not hesitate to seek the city government’s help, said Mabilog.
Sunday’s shooting occurred around 3:45 a.m. The suspect, a seafarer, was detained at the Mandurriao police station lockup cell.
The 35-year-old Jonathan Lozada of Barangay Daanbanwa, Lambunao turned himself in to the police after shooting Tan.
Lozada and nephew Robert Angelo were onboard their pickup vehicle when they saw Tan’s group chasing a group of gay men.
Thinking there was a rumble, Lozada, who was driving the pickup, pulled over and tried to mediate.
Tan fired at Lozada but the nephew, who was at the passenger seat, was the one hit on the right shoulder, Atigaronita said.
“This prompted Lozada to shoot Tan on the forehead,” said Inspector Juan Atigaronita of the Mandurriao police station.
Tan was declared dead at the Iloilo Doctors’ Hospital in Molo district.
According to Napolcom Region 6, Mabilog was also stripped of the following powers:
* authority to exercise administrative disciplinary powers among Philippine National Police (PNP) members assigned to his area of responsibility
* authority to choose the city’s police director
* authority to recommend appointment of new police members
* authority to recommend the transfer, reassignment or detail of police members, and
* authority to conduct inspection and audit./PN
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