TO get back at the police officials who ordered the relief of his two police escorts, Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob Sr. made good his threat of cutting off the electricity and telephone lines in his town's police station.

After two days, he blinked and ordered the power supply restored but vowed to come up with another move soon. The cutting of the power supply, he said, was but a warning to the police.

What the mayor did was crazy. He is holding the Philippine National Police (PNP) hostage to his personal demand, which is to return to him his escorts. PO1 Sherwin Leyson and PO1 Jorahmine Espinosa were pulled out by Provincial Police Director Jesus Gaquing because of their pending administrative cases.

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Gungob had also threatened to replace the entire police force in Consolacion with barangay tanods. Isn’t that silly?

I don't know if the mayor is serious with that threat or is just bluffing so police officials in the province and region will give in to his demand. If he is serious, then he should do it immediately. I would even challenge him to cut the power supply to the police station permanently and not give gasoline allocation to the police. Then he should drive them away from the Municipal Hall. Let us see who will suffer in the end.

Maybe Gungob's power has already gotten to his head. But he should be reminded that he is not the owner of the Municipal Hall. He is not the one personally paying the electricity and telephone bills of the police station. The gasoline allocation for the police does not come from his own pocket.

The Consolacion taxpayers are the ones providing the police with logistical support. The police should therefore give them ample protection.

Gungob’s act is detrimental to the peace and order situation in his town. His constituents and not the police are the ones who will suffer from the loss of police protection and assistance.

The mayor admitted that his ego was pricked because Gaquing did not inform him personally about the relief of his police escorts. So this is all about pride. What is so special with the two policemen that Gungob is demanding their return?

They were pulled out because of complaints that he used them to harass people who complained against his illegal quarry operations in Barangay Garing.

That’s the danger of politicians using policemen for personal chores. Sometimes, these police escorts become errand boys, drivers and even goons of their politician-masters. That is why calls by some politicians to return the control of the police to the local chief executives are widely opposed.

Gaquing and Chief Supt. Lani-O Nerez, Police Regional Office 7 regional director, should not to give in to Gungob’s demand.

They should stand by their earlier stand not to return the police escorts to Gungob.

If these officials give in, they will set a bad precedent.

Who can prevent other local chief executives from doing what Gungob did if their police escorts are relieved? Police officials can no longer instill discipline on their people and will be laughed at.

Stick to your principle, sirs. Anyway, the Department of Interior and Local Government and Gov. Gwen Garcia, in her capacity as chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council, are on your side. Let Gungob do his worst.

(bgnalzaro@gmanetwork.com)