Iligan City police chief sacked over bombing incident
-A A +AWednesday, January 23, 2013
THE police director of Iligan City was sacked from his post following the bomb explosion on Monday that wounded 10 persons.
Ronnie Francis Cariaga, spokesperson of Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao, said Senior Superintendent Raul Diones was ordered relieved by police regional director Chief Superintendent Gil Hitosis.
Diones was reportedly relieved from his post as city director of the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) pending investigation for his failure to prevent two bomb explosions in the city in a span of less than a month.
“Monday’s explosion was the second. The first was last December 24 during his stint as chief of the ICPO. RD Hitosis already warned nga dili niya gusto masundan pa pero nahitabo naman pud,” Superintendent Cariaga told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
On Monday morning, an improvised explosive device went off in front of M. Lhuillier pawnshop located along Mercado Street Quezon Avenue Poblacion.
Initially, nine persons were injured in the blast but Cariaga said the number had climbed to 10.
He said, based on their initial investigation, the explosive was placed on a bicycle parked in front of the pawnshop right beside the car owned by Police Officer 1 Diosdado “Jun” Cabahug Jr., who was one of those injured.
Cabahug admitted he was the target of the explosion allegedly due to illegal drugs. Cariaga, however, said they have yet to confirm the real motive of the explosion pending further investigation.
Diones said they are still identifying the suspects and are also investigating Cabahug on why he was the target of the explosion.
Diones was replaced by Senior Superintendent Cristeto Rey Gonzalodo as head of ICPO.
Last December 24, a bomb exploded inside a rented room at the second floor of Nigra Lodging House in Iligan City. No one was killed or injured in the blast.
Last May 2012, a bomb also exploded outside El Centro bar which killed two people and injured 21 others.
Meanwhile, Cariaga said the policy of Hitosis to relieve Diones and the other police chiefs is his “shield” in order for his subordinates to work hard to attain peace and order in their respective areas.
Published in the Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro newspaper on January 24, 2013.
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