Cop chief in North Cotabato sacked

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The city police director here, almost a year after he assumed the post, will be replaced starting today.

The relief of Superintendent Renante Cabico as Kidapawan City police director came a week after Cotabato provincial police Director Roque Alcantara was also sacked from his office.

Cabico said that unlike Alcantara's relief, he will leave his office quietly, "no turnover of command, whatsoever."

"There will be no ceremony to take place. I will just leave the office when the new city police director takes over," he said.

Cabico said it was Cotabato second district Representative Nancy Catamco that informed Kidapawan City Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco about his relief.

"Instead of receiving the order from Camp Crame or from the regional police office in General Santos City, I received the information from these politicians (Rep. Catamco and Mayor Gantuangco) about my transfer," Cabico said.

When asked if he was happy with his relief order, he said: "This is the price I get for doing my job."

Joy Francisco, one of the conveners of Watch Cotabato, a group of media and civil society organizations in North Cotabato, said that Cabico caught the ire of Catamco after he filed in May last year a case of illegal possession of firearms against one of her staff.

When the complaint was dismissed in November at the city prosecutor's office due to some technicalities, Cabico filed falsification of public documents against Catamco's public affairs chief, Basilio Obello Jr.

Cabico was earlier quoted as saying the documents that Obello presented before the prosecutor's office were "highly questionable."

The Watch Cotabato, using as basis a document from the Camp Crame, said Catamco's staff, Obello, is not a licensed gun holder and that his caliber 5.56 with serial number PR 08493 is considered a "wanted firearm."

The document, dated December 6, 2012, is signed by Chief Inspector Rodrigo Benedicto Sarmiento Jr., chief of the records section of the PNP Crame's Firearm and Explosive Division.

The document said, "As of December 6, 2012, Obello is not a licensed or registered firearm holder, based on the records of this office. One rifle, caliber 5.56 PR 08493, is not licensed or registered in this office. Firearm status: wanted firearm."

Fr. Pol Paracha, a human rights activist in North Cotabato, expressed belief that the recent turn of events in the police organization in North Cotabato has something to do with "politics."

"These police officers had become victims of dirty politics. The relief of these good police officers is a disservice to people in North Cotabato," Francisco said.

Watch Cotabato is set to hold today (Friday) an indignation rally here, which they say, is aimed at telling the PNP they are disappointed and indignant with the relief of Alcantara and Cabico.

Cabico will be transferred from Kidapawan City PNP to the Cotabato provincial headquarters at Amas Complex, this city.

He will be replaced by Superintendent Joseph Semillano, former chief of police of Midsayap town in North Cotabato.