ILOILO City – The removal of the police chief of the municipality of Sara, Iloilo is being sought, according to Superintendent Joem Malong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Mayor Ermelita Salcedo expressed her sentiment to Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao during a meeting in Camp Delgado on Nov. 5, Malong disclosed to journalists.
During the meeting, Salcedo was accompanied by daughter Jeneda Salcedo-Orendain, a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and daughter-in-law Sybelle Mary Buenaflor-Salcedo, according to Malong.
The police chief of Sara is Senior Inspector Asencion Ortizo.
On Oct. 17, 2018 the police raided the mayor’s house in Barangay Poblacion Ilawod, Sara. They seized firearms that Salcedo said were legitimately licensed. The cops also shot dead Salcedo’s stepson Nerio “Ricky” Salcedo and step grandson Nixon Salcedo Jr.
Malong said it was not clear to her the mayor’s reasons for the request. She was not present at the meeting between Bulalacao and the Salcedos.
Malong, however, said the regional police director briefed her about what were discussed.
The Salcedos also asked for police security from the PRO-6, said Malong. They had received threats and feared for their safety, she added.
“Pero wala man ma-specify kon ano nga threats,” said Malong.
Bulalacao, according to Malong, ordered the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) to validate the Salcedos’ statements.
“If proven nga tuod ang threats sa lives nila i-grant ang request, and it’s the same regarding their issues kay Ortizo. Once proven nga tuod, ipa-relieve man ni RD (Bulalacao) si Ortizo,” said Malong.
In an interview, however, Provincial Board member Jeneda Salcedo-Orendain clarified their family had no formal requests yet submitted to the PRO-6.
“As of this time categorically we don’t have any official request. Gina-istoryahan pa namon ina sang pamilya (but) importante napaabot namon ang sitwasyon kay (Regional Director Bulalacao),” said Salcedo-Orendain.
She confirmed their family had received threats via the social media such as Facebook.
Salcedo-Orendain also denied they asked for the relief of the Sara police chief.
“We don’t have any official request nga naga-relieve sa kay kon sin-o man nga kapulisan but… as public officials…we lobbied for the safety of our family and also for a fair investigation of everyone,” said Salcedo-Orendain.
Mayor Salcedo previously said she was fearful for her safety and she was shaken by the police raid of her house.
“Ginasalig ko na lang kay Lord,” said Salcedo.
She questioned the steps the police took in raiding her house. The cops should have let the house dwellers such as her read the search warrant first before entering, she said.
What the policemen did, she said, was destroy her house’s door and barge in.
They made the people inside the house drop on the floor face down and tied them up before letting them read the contents of the search warrant, said Salcedo./PN
