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Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Top PRO 7 official removed from post
By Mia E. Abellana
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
The second highest-ranking police official in the region has been relieved of his post, amid allegations of anomalies in the police recruitment process.
Senior Supt. Joselito Tan was ordered transferred to Camp Crame effective Aug. 1, just as anonymous complaints against him reached Chief Supt. Eduardo Gador and the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Tan, as deputy regional director for administration, is chairman of the regional screening committee tasked to pick 250 police recruits for Central Visayas.
An anonymous letter dated Aug. 10 that reached Gador alleged that Tan, a resident of Davao City, included his own son in the final list of recruits.
Other complaints stated that Tan asked for P50,000 per recruit to ensure inclusion in the final list of 250, even if the recruit fails in height and other requirements.
Tan could not be reached for comment because he reportedly had gone to report to Camp Crame when Sun.Star Cebu went to his office yesterday.
Gador clarified that Tan’s relief had nothing to do with the allegations since the relief order came before the anonymous letter arrived.
Due for promotion
He said Tan was a senior officer due for promotion and that if he wanted to be promoted to the next rank, he had to occupy a position deserving of a star-ranked official.
As for the allegations, Gador said he looked into these informally and asked the board to answer the allegations.
He said, though, that no formal investigation was made because the complainants remained anonymous.
“We entertain complaints like these, but the problem is the complainants are unknown,” Gador said.
Initially, Tan told him that those who complained did not understand that each municipality and city had a quota.
Gador explained that even if there were five qualified applicants from a town where only one slot is available, only one applicant would be included in the list.
The anonymous letter sender, who furnished Sun.Star Superbalita a copy, said Tan used his power to include his son in the final list.
Napolcom 7 officer-in-charge Hernani Espina said there was a Marco Joselito Tan among the final 250 recruits, but Espina could not ascertain the recruit’s relationship with Tan.
Endorsement
Espina said that even if the applicant was from Davao, he had an endorsement letter from the mayor of Minglanilla, which made him eligible to take the first step of the recruitment process, which is the written competitive exam.
If they pass the exam, recruits will have to take agility tests, neuro-psychiatric tests and interviews before the panel deliberates on their eligibility.
Espina, vice chairman of the regional screening committee, confirmed that they received text messages and anonymous letters about Tan.
He assured though that the Napolcom will check the data of the 250 applicants before they are sent to the Regional Training School for the six-month training period.
Once Napolcom confirms the information in their data folders, their papers will be sent to the PRO 7 for preparation of appointment and then to the Civil Service Commission for attestation.
He said they could only proceed with a formal investigation if the complainants sign sworn statements.
He is encouraging the complainants to submit affidavits so they can conduct a formal investigation.
(August 16, 2005 issue)
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