Tuesday, September 16, 2008 Police chief’s relief still hangs
The future of Senior Supt. Rodel Calungsud as Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) director now depends on an evaluation being conducted by the office of Mayor Jonas Cortes.
Cortes did not give details of the evaluation process but said its result will serve as basis for Calungsud’s retention or relief and the suspension of incentive allowances of non-performing police officers.
Still, the mayor admitted he is drafting a letter to Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Ronald Roderos providing the latter with a list of possible Calungsud replacement.
Calungsud himself has told PRO 7 Director Ronald Roderos that he will apply for a leave of absence once Cortes submits a letter to the regional office seeking his relief.
Roderos said Calung-sud’s move is meant to have a smooth transition with whoever replaces him.
He added that he will wait for the outcome of Calungsud’s scheduled meetings yesterday with Cortes and Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna before deciding on whom to assign as officer-in-charge of the Mandaue police.
Calungsud called a press conference yesterday to deny that he blamed Mandaue City officials and their constant bickering to the rise of crime incidents.
He denied using the phrase “political bickering” during a meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council saying that it came from Gov. Gwen Garcia.
He acknowledged the help extended by the local government unit to the Mandaue police, including the turn over of 29 vehicles with patrol car drivers and monthly supply of 23,000 liters of gasoline.
City Hall pays for the monthly incentives of 272 policemen, or P1,000 per old timers and P750 for each newly assigned officers in Mandaue city.
It pays for MCPO’s water, telephone and internet bills.
Achievements
Calungsud also cited the following MCPO achievements:
—Police raids on fraternity safe houses in Barangays Alang-Alang, Subangdaku, Cambaro resulting in the arrest of fraternity leaders.
—Neutralization of Aristotle Aves’ group in coordination with the Cebu City Police Office and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
—Arrest of the killers of SPO1 Pedro Sucion and landscape artist Alexander Deen.
—Increase in MCPO’s crime solution efficiency from 76 percent last year to 79.6 percent this year.
But Cortes is not satisfied with the performance of the Mandaue police noting the complaints he received on the slow response to alarms.
“Mao pay pagpanggawas sa night patrol kun ang mayor na ang manawag,” he said (They only conduct night patrols when the mayor calls).
He noted that Calungsud has always complained of shortage in personnel—272 policemen securing more than 300,000 residents—-even if it is a problem of the police organization nationwide.
Instead of the police chief finding ways to get around his unit’s limited personnel, Cortes said he instead was the one who organized a meeting with station commanders and tanod chiefs to map out action plans. (OCP/MEA)
