Monday, February 18, 2008 Police told to focus on jobs
WITH the top PNP hierarchy under fire for the alleged kidnapping of whistleblower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, local police officials are appealing to their members to focus on their work and not be bothered by the events in Manila.
Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Carmelo Valmoria said he has issued directives down to the station level for their personnel to remain focused on their mandated tasks.
“We do not want to be distracted while we are performing our mandated tasks. We follow the chain of command,” he said.
Valmoria assured that he has not received information that there are groups trying to coerce officers in the organization to join moves to oust President Arroyo.
As for personnel constantly watching the news and live broadcasts of senate hearings and rallies in Manila, Valmoria said he had no problem with them because they also needed to be updated with what was happening in the country.
Security
Regional Intelligence Division Chief Augusto Marquez, for his part, said they were not bothered that “less than 30” militant members held a rally in front of the Police Regional Office 7.
“Mas maayo nga naa sila sa atubangan namo so we can secure them,” Marquez said (We’re glad they held the protest outside the camp’s gates).
Marquez said they let the group continue with their program because they were assured that there will be no violence.
He felt though that they were “barking up the wrong tree.”
“They were calling for the resignation of the president. The president is not here. She is in Malacañang,” Marquez told reporters.
Opposition and cause-oriented groups are calling for the resignation of Arroyo following the exposes of Lozada on the ZTE scandal, which involved the first family. (MEA)
