Friday, July 11, 2008 Silay cop sacked By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
SILAY City's police chief Superintendent Roderick Augustus Alba was relieved from his post Thursday after clashing with a town mayor over a holdup case in the city.
Police provincial director Rosendo Franco, in a press conference at the Capitol Thursday, said: "I have no choice but to relieve Superintendent Alba immediately. But I want to clarify that I stand by Alba because I am satisfied with his performance. Sad to say, he's not in good terms now with the mayor."
In a phone interview, Mayor Jose Montelibano said: "The truth is that Superintendent Alba's performance in our city is really, really below par. A lot are complaining about his poor performance and I think I have to tell him this."
Alba told reporters the mess between him and Montelibano started when he missed the latter's two phone calls after the alleged holdup incident along McKinley St. in Silay City around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday.
Nabbed in said incident was Edcel Arellano, 23, who was allegedly set to rob the mayor after he flagged down the vehicle occupied by Montelibano and his bodyguard, SPO3 Bernie Javellana.
Arellano was brought to the Silay City Police Office (SCPO) for detention but he denied the accusation, saying he never flagged down the mayor's vehicle and was instead only waving to the mother and sister of his companion Lorenie Jamelo who, at the time, was on the opposite block of the road.
Montelibano reportedly wanted Arellano charged with attempted robbery and called up Alba for instructions, but the latter missed the calls.
Alba admitted such lapses but when he faced the mayor the following day, he said he was shocked when Montelibano asked him to apply for schooling either local or abroad and that the City Government of Silay is willing to finance it.
"But I told the mayor that 95 percent of schooling in the Philippine National Police (PNP) has almost been consumed but still, he insisted for me to follow his request," Alba said, adding that the way he concluded such request "was a sort of an indirect signal for me to get out of Silay City."
Alba said he and his men have done their best for Silay.
Montelibano, however, belied Alba's statement. "No, it's not what I told Alba. What I told him when I confronted him was that I am dissatisfied of his performance because based on my assessment, he's below par. So I told him that it's better for us to part ways. But I told him also I am willing to support him in case he wants to go schooling."
"Silay is now a fast growing city and I will really fight more for this city," the mayor also said.
Montelibano also lamented Alba's holding of a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday and telling media "wrong" information. "Our talk in my office was a sort of a friendly talk because Alba is my friend. But I was shocked that he took our conversation 'out of context.' The truth is I only suggested him to make a graceful exit from our city. What he (Alba) did was really unfair to me."
Franco, on the other hand, said: "It's impossible to believe that Montelibano, being the 'King of the Land' in Silay City, would be held up by an ordinary man there. That's why I have to stand by my man. In fact, there are also seven more cops willing to be relieved from Silay City as soon as possible."
Montelibano said: "The holdup attempt was true," adding that he has witnesses to testify it.
He also said the suspect already had previous criminal cases "and even admitted in front of me his plan to holdup those inside my vehicle that he flagged down."
The mayor said the suspect also admitted in front of police investigators that he was high on marijuana and liquor at the time he flagged down the car.
Montelibano also denied he was drunk at the time he ordered Arellano's arrest. "How could I be drunk since I've been in a meeting with my guest from Manila at Sunburst Resort when we met the group of Arellano along Rizal Street going to McKinley Street?"
Alba meantime will be temporarily detailed at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) headquarters in Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr., Camingawan, Bacolod.
Asked who will be taking over Alba's post in Silay, Franco said: "That I don't know yet because, at present, none is interested to be transferred to Silay."
Franco said he would immediately submit three recommendations for Montelibano to choose.
