Monday, January 15, 2007 Mayor: New Davao police chief is just as good By Grace L. Plata
DAVAO City is in safe hands under the watchful eye of its new police chief, Senior Superintendent Jaime Morente, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte told reporters Friday afternoon.
Senior Superintendent Catalino Cuy relinquished the directorship of Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to Morente.
Duterte said the city has lost nothing in the process since Cuy, deemed by the mayor as an officer and a gentleman, was to be replaced by another of such caliber in Morente.
Cuy's "sterling record" in running DCPO was highly praised by the mayor, adding that he is a bit "sad" that Cuy has to go.
Duterte said friendship was borne between them in the field of agony and stress as it incidentally occurred during Cuy's time that Davao was beseeched by major issues, if not problems, but adding quickly that Cuy has competently addressed those issues.
Duterte however assures the public that Morente is the sort of officer who can help the city in these trying times.
"The city would continue to support him (Morente)," Duterte said as a welcome and blessing to the start of Morente's service.
In a separate interview, Senior Chief Superintendent Andres Caro cleared that there is no political factor to the reshuffling of police chiefs.
Caro explained that it is Philippine National Police procedure for those who have served for two years or more to be reassigned and it just so happened that it was Morente and Cuy who have served in their respective offices for two years now in Southern Mindanao.
Caro added that there are 32 officers nationwide, including Cuy and Morente, who have been subject to reassignment.
He rebutted the speculations as to why the haste in relieving Cuy of his post.
"The election period is fast approaching and you cannot relieve anyone from their post during that time, and if we wait for the election period to be over it would be far too long already," Caro said.
