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| Police Director Marlou Chan (L) in a turn-over rites. |
By Mortz C. Ortigoza
DAGUPAN CITY – Without any explanation from the Philippine National Police, the transfer of command from Police Director Marlou Chan to Senior Superintendent Manuel Velasco for the police provincial office in Pangasinan has been postponed indefinitely.
"The hand over should be held last June 22 but has been post phoned indefinitely." according to Senior Inspector Ryan Manongdo as quoted by broadcaster RJ Jimenez of DWPR when he interviewed the PNP spokesman in Pangasinan.
Senior Superintendent Chan in a text message sent to this blogger said that there was an order for his relief last June 21, 2013.
Chan, who got the ire of Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino because of politics, has been rumored to be either the next chief of the Regional Special Operation Task Group or the chief of the regional intelligence command – both powerful posts.
Last year a similar incident of an aborted turn- over ceremony ensued when Senior Superintendent Mariel Magaway of the police intelligence command in Camp Crame was told by then Regional Police Director Jesus Franklin Bacayu that his appointment at the provincial command has been cancelled one hour before the ceremony where everybody in Pangasinan including Governor Espino, was already preparing to go there. A source who asked anonymity said that somebody in Pangasinan who has a closed tie with Secretary Mar Roxas of the Department of Interior & Local Government called the latter not to allow Magaway to take over from then Provincial Director Rosueto V. Ricaforte.
Another source told this paper that Velasco, through the intercession of his former superior a certain police general Victorio, won the recommendation from PNP Chief Alan Purisima. But Secretary Roxas asked the police hierarchy to forego the turn over in May 22.
Meanwhile, Chan said that despite the ceaseless pressures exerted by the political leadership of the province he could not just resign unilaterally from his post otherwise he would be charged with “abandonment of post” by the PNP.
The provincial director said that his appointment in the gargantuan province was not of his making.
“I was appointed by the police top brass as OIC provincial director and eventually full time provincial director”.
Chan, Chief Superintendent Ricardo Marquez and Director Catalino Cuy face an injunction case at the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen, Pangasinan after he was sued by Espino who questioned his appointment as full time police provincial chief as blatant violation of Republic Act 6975 (Department of the Interior & Local Government Act) where the governor appoint one of the three nominees submitted by Marquez.
The incumbent police director said that he was not intimidated by the Persona Non Grata resolution by the provincial council last June 10, 2013 since the injunction case has already been deliberated by lawyers at the RTC.
“The court is the mother of all cases and let us patiently wait for its wisdom whether I am validly holding my challenge post,” he stressed.
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ReplyDeleteBeleaguered Pangasinan Police director relieved from post
ReplyDeleteJune 21, 2013 10:20 pm
By Leonardo V. Micua
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, June 21 (PNA)–The petition filed before the court by Governor Amado Espino Jr. against beleaguered Police Senior Supt. Marlou Chan is now just water under the bridge after the later was relieved as Police Provincial Director effective Friday, June 21.
Chan's relief order came from Camp Crame, from where his appointment as provincial director in permanent capacity on May 10, 2013 came from.
Chan, who is subject of two resolutions of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, asking him to step down and also declaring him as persona non-grata is set to be replaced by Senior Supt. Manuel Velasco.
The turn-over of the two police officers will take place on Saturday at the Police Provincial Office in Lingayen.
Chan will be reassigned to the Police regional office in San Fernando, La Union.
The petition filed by Governor Espino seeking the issuance of a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction is still being heard by the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen.
His co-respondents in the petition are Chief Supt. Ricardo Marquez, police regional director, and a ranking police official at Camp Crame.
In a talk to newsmen, Chan said he turned down the call of Pangasinan officials for him to step down because there was an order for him to become the police director of Pangasinman.
But this is different when there is a subsequent order rescinding the previous order, he said.
“This is what I have been telling our fellow Pangasinenses. I will follow lawful orders,” he said.
Chan was first assigned in Pangasinan as officer-in-charge of Pangasinan sometime in December last year. He continued as such till he received his appointment as provincial director on May 10, during the election period.
The governor was questioning the appointment of Chan as polcie director because it did not went through the normal process as provided for in the Philippine National Police Law.
He said the process wherein the sitting governor ought to chose from a short list of qualified officers of the police was not observed when Chan was appointed permanent police director. (PNA)
Pangasinan top cop relieved but turnover postponed at last minute
ReplyDeleteBy Gabriel Cardinoza
Inquirer Northern Luzon
2:22 pm | Saturday, June 22nd, 2013
4 19 2
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines—As early as 8 a.m. Saturday, the stage fronting the parade ground of the provincial police office here had been occupied by the police chiefs from the province’s 48 towns and cities.
After an official announcement Friday night, tarpaulins announcing the turnover of command of the Pangasinan police office from Senior Superintendent Marlou Chan to Senior Superintendent Manuel Velasco adorned the gate and the façade of the provincial police office’s main building.
A radio reporter asked a policewoman for a copy of that morning’s program. But she was politely told that she could not have it because her superior had not given her the clearance to distribute it.
At 8:30 a.m., Chief Inspector Ryan Manongdo, Pangasinan police spokesperson, gathered reporters to a corner near the stage and announced that the turnover ceremony had been postponed.
“We received a call from higher headquarters to tell us that our activity today had been postponed,” Manongdo said.
And that was all he could say.
On Friday night, Manongdo sent text messages to reporters here informing them of the turnover ceremony, which was perceived as an end to the feud between Chan and provincial officials.
Chan, a former Ilocos Norte police director, was designated acting police director of Pangasinan in December. He was appointed regular provincial police chief on May 10.
However, on May 24, Governor Amado Espino Jr. filed a petition for temporary restraining order against Chan’s appointment, saying it violated the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, which grants the right to the governor to choose from among three eligible officers recommended to the position by the police regional director.
The case is pending before a regional trial court here.
On June 3, the provincial board passed a resolution urging Chan to step down. A week later, the provincial board declared Chan “persona non grata.”
Chan had been accused of partiality and bias in dealing with election-related issues during the campaign period for the May 13 balloting, among others. Chan, however, denied the accusations.
Manongdo said the postponement of the turnover rites was “something expected” in the Philippine National Police.
“Any time of the day, an order can be issued. Uniformed personnel, by virtue of command, just follow, especially legal orders,” Manongdo said. “This is not the first time that this happened.”
In April last year, a scheduled turnover ceremony at which the then provincial police director, Senior Superintendent Rosueto Ricaforte, was supposed to be replaced, was reset three times within the day but still did not push through.
Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/431055/pangasinan-top-cop-relieved-but-turnover-postponed-at-last-minute#ixzz2WzKrLth8
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