Espino hits 2 ranking PNP officials

Police General Marquez (2nd from Right).

Pangasinan Gov. Amado Espino Jr. has cited two ranking police officials for alleged violation of the laws governing the appointment of police provincial officials. Espino said Philippine National Police (PNP) Director for Personnel and Record Management Catalino Cuy and Region 1 police commander Ricardo Marquez erred in designating Sr. Supt. Marlou Chan as provincial police chief of Pangasinan. In his amended petition for the issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction and temporary restraining to block Chan’s appointment, the newly reelected governor hinted that Cuy and Marquez appeared to have conspired to circumvent pertinent provisions of the PNP Law, as amended,and the Omnibus Election Code. Espino cited as among the grounds for his petition Cuy’s alleged faulty memorandum order naming Chan Pangasinan police chief in full capacity, as well as Marquez’s failure to nominate two other qualified police official for the position to satisfy the requirements of the law. Owing to the legal infirmities relative to Chan’s appointment, the governor said Chan’s continued stay in the post would be extremely prejudicial to Pangasinan. Records showed that Chan was designated officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan police office last December. In his memo, Cuy installed Chan as Pangasinan PNP chief effective May 10, 2013, just three days before the local and national elections. Espino, who charged that Chan did not even have the decency to inform him about the appointment, also invoked Section 51 of Republic Act 6975 (Department of the Interior and Local Government Act), mandating that the sitting governor has the right to choose from among three nominees to the police provincial post by the concerned police regional director. “Moreover, the appointment of defendant Chan is also in gross violation of existing policies of the PNP. Philippine National Police Commission (Napolcom) Memorandum circulars provide that PNP officers cannot serve major key positions successively,” Espino’s petition stated. He explained that prior to Chan’s designation as OIC in Pangasinan, the respondent occupied the same post in Ilocos Norte. Espino noted that Chan was unlawfully holding the position of police chief of Pangasinan “as his appointment was tainted with grave abuse of discretion and authority, and in utter and gross violation of the law.”