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Napolcom strips 5 mayors of police powers ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY MERIANNE GRACE EREÑETA
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ILOILO City – Denials of their alleged links to illegal drugs were not enough for five Western Visayas mayors to keep their power over their respective police units.
Nearly three months after President Rodrigo Duterte named and shamed them as drug protectors, mayors Alex Centena (Calinog, Iloilo), Julius Ronaldo Pacificador (Hamtic, Antique), Jed Patrick Mabilog (Iloilo City), Siegfredo Betita (Carles, Iloilo), and Mariano Malones (Maasin, Iloilo) were finally stripped of the following powers:
* authority to exercise administrative disciplinary powers among Philippine National Police (PNP) members assigned to their area of responsibility
* authority to choose the chief of police
* authority to recommend appointment of new PNP members
* authority to recommend the transfer, reassignment or detail of PNP members
* authority to conduct inspection and audit
* issue directives for the conduct of operations to stop illegal activities and neutralize criminal syndicates
* determine operational strategies, and
* direct the employment and deployment of units or elements of PNP.
It was only on Oct. 27, 2016 when the National Police Commission (Napolcom) Region 6 received an order from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Napolcom central office stripping the five mayors of authority over their police forces.
Duterte publicly branded the mayors drug coddlers on Aug. 7, 2016 yet. Napolcom did not explain the delay.
DILG-Napolcom’s Resolution No. 2016-679 regarding this was approved on Oct. 17.
Mayors and governors are deputized by Napolcom under Section 51 (b) of Republic Act 6975 (Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990) and Section 64 of Republic Act 8551 (Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998) that spell out their powers.
“The resolution withdrew this deputation,” said Napoleon Arostique, chief of Napolcom Region 6’s Technical Services Division.
“I can categorically say that I am not involved in the protection, trade and use of illegal drugs,” said Iloilo City’s Mayor Mabilog immediately after the President shamed him.
For his part, Mayor Betita of Carles said he was supportive of Duterte’s campaign against drug trafficking and this made it impossible for him to get involved in the illicit trade.
“As far as I am concerned, inosente gid ako ya,” said Betita.
Mayor Malones of Maasin, on the other hand, said he got the shock of his life.
“This is unexpected. I’m leading a straight life and working hard and honestly but now I’m being linked to illegal drugs. I did not expect this,” he said.
Mayor Centena of Calinog said he was willing to let go of the Calinog mayorship if it can be proven that he was a drug protector or even user.
The accusation hurt him, said Centena, who is now on his last term. /PN
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