Manolo Fortich police chief relieved

THE top brass of Bukidnon Provincial Office has sacked the Manolo Fortich Police Office chief in connection with simultaneous raids by communist rebels at Del Monte Philippines Inc. (DMPI) and Dole-Stanfilco that left two security guards dead and a civilian wounded.

Police Superintendent Ronnie Francis Cariaga, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao based in Camp Vicente Alagar, Barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, confirmed the relief order of Superintendent Bimbo Jumalon on Thursday.

“Nakuhaan man gud siya og armas sa mga NPA (New People’s Army) and I think usa pud to sa mga factors nga na-relieved siya,” he told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.

Cariaga has no idea who will replace Jumalon since the relieve order was issued by Bukidnon Provincial Police Director Orlando Beñas and not by the regional office.

He said Beñas told him that the provincial chief may also be relieved from his post because of the incident.

“Sa akong nahibaw-an, naa siyay pending nga relief order but I don’t know kanus-a ma-implement,” he said.

Jumalon, along with few personnel from a conference, were supposed to respond to the reported raids when along the way, they were stopped by members of the NPA who set up a blocking force and took their firearms.

Some 100 members of the NPA launched simultaneously raids on DMPI and Dole last February 19, 2013 that caused P30 million damage to the two companies.

The armed-wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines said in a statement that the attacks served as a punitive action against the two transnational corporations.