Chan remains acting PD after PNP declares post vacant

Colonel Chan in a TV grab from GMA-7

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

 LINGAYEN - Has the power-that-be outsmarted Pangasinan governor Amado T. Espino on his desire to get rid of the province police director he charges with partisanship in the last election? Regional Director Ricardo Marquez cited that since June 26 this year the position of the provincial director presently occupied by Senior Superintendent Marlou C. Chan has been vacant. “It means Chan not only becomes an acting police director but the injunction case filed by Espino could be dismissed by the court anytime because the post of the top provincial policeman is no longer permanent,” a source who asked anonymity opined.

PNP designated Chan as permanent PD

 In May 10, 2013 Marquez and PNP Director Catalino Cuy of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management designated Chan as permanent provincial director despite Section 51 of Republic Act 6975 (Department of Department of the Interior & Local Government Act ) where the governor appoints one of the three nominees submitted by Marquez.
The appointment of Chan as permanent top policeman in Pangasinan got the ire of Espino who filed an injunction case in May 24 this year at Branch 69 of the Regional Trial Court here vis-à-vis Section 51 of RA 6975.

General Marquez justifies Chan's appointment

Marquez, in his bid to justify his and Cuy decision to bypass the governor by appointing Chan in a permanent capacity; answer this paper, after the injunction hearing last June 27, with the following:
 “In the eyes of the police pareho lang iyon. He could be relieved anytime. Iyong notice of vacancy that all shows kahit OIC or (permanent) PD ganoon ang standing noon sa amin”.
 Marquez said that the mindset of the PNP is to expedite the solution of the stand off between Chan and Espino.
“E-so-solve namin ang problemang ito as fast as possible. Hindi namin papatagalin ito,” Marquez stressed.

Chan's appointment from permanent to acting PD a legal masterpiece

But a political observer who asked he should not be named cited that the revocation of the permanent status of Chan as PD was a legal chutzpah chalked up by the legal minds at the PNP.
He opined that the relief of Chan as permanent PD has dealt a deadly blow to the petition for injunction filed by the governor as it would become moot and academic because the contentious issue of permanency has been revoked.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas' hand

The source said the agenda of Malacanang and Secretary Mar Roxas to put Chan as a balance to counter the influence of Espino in Pangasinan was a strategic move by the Manila government to usher Roxas, a stalwart of the Liberal Party, ambition to become a president in 2016.
 “Tinalo na nila si (LP) gubernatorial bet Hernani Braganza, hindi naman pueding hindi sila mag-iwan ng ta-o dito. President (Benigno) Aquino (III) and Roxas would become a lame duck in Pangasinan politics without Chan watching the locals”.
The observer said he doubts if the three nominees for the post of PD will be presented by Marquez for Espino to select before the barangay election in October this year.

Chan-Velasco Turn-over aborted

The order of the PNP for Chan to be in an acting capacity was without controversy.
In the morning of June 26 there was an order for the relief of Chan as he was to be replaced by Senior Superintendent Manuel Velasco, his classmate at the Philippine Military Academy Class 1985, but it was scuttled after another order in the following day from Camp Crame to the police hierarchy in Region 1 asking for Chan to be in an acting capacity.
 “I was on my way to preside on that turn-over. I was in San Fabian, (Pangasinan) already. But (the turn-over was) held in abeyance muna. Hindi ako privy doon ,” Marquez said when asked why all of a sudden the handover of the command to Velasco from Chan was aborted without an explanation.