Obenza to leave LCPO post; Lawas to take over as OIC

Thursday, February 9, 2012

THE Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) will soon have a new police director, after it was confirmed that Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza, who currently holds the top police position in the city, will be transferred to a new post.

In an interview with reporters yesterday, Mayor Paz Radaza said Obenza will be replaced by Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID), in an acting capacity.

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Radaza said she was informed about Obenza’s transfer during the visit of the officials of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 to the mayor’s office last week.

She said the PRO 7 officials explained to her about the need to transfer Obenza. The mayor, however, declined to disclose their grounds to the media.

Radaza said after discussing the matter with the police officials last week, she was told that Lawas has been designated to serve as officer-in-charge of the police force in Lapu-Lapu.

Lawas served as provincial police director of Negros Oriental before his assignment to RID.

The PRO 7 will submit five names of police officials, with a rank of senior superintendent, for Radaza to choose Obenza’s replacement.

When sought for comment yesterday, Obenza refused to talk to reporters.

Obenza assumed the position as LCPO chief in 2010, replacing Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel.

Criticism

During his term, Obenza provoked criticism from Radaza over his alleged failure to assess the increasing criminality in the city.

Despite the criticism he got, Obenza continued to work for the improvement of the peace and order situation in the city.

Obenza earlier said that the increase in the city’s crime rates is attributed to the real reporting of incidents and the public’s confidence in its local police force.