Friday, April 25, 2008 Pan hit for sacking Angeles police chief By Reynaldo G. Navales
ANGELES City officials have criticized the leadership of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 in connection with the relief of Senior Superintendent George Gaddi as city police director.
Gaddi was relieved from his post following last Monday's raid on the small-town lottery (STL) outlet of Lake Tahoe Gaming and Amusement Corporation in Barangay Lourdes North West in the city where a pregnant woman was shot and wounded.
At least 34 STL employees were rounded up during the raid.
Mayor Francis Nepomuceno said Police Regional Director Errol Pan has no reason to relieve Gaddi from his post because the Angeles police chief has a good performance in terms of crime prevention in the city.
He said the city at present has a low crime rate aside from a few cases, including the killing of sisig queen Lucia "Aling Lucing" Cunanan.
Councilor Agapito del Rosario also assailed Pan whom, he claimed, has no right to infringe with the city administration as provided for under the Local Government Code.
Both Nepomuceno and del Rosario said the Philippine National Police (PNP) should not implement the relief of police officers without the concurrence of city officials.
The mayor meanwhile denied reports that he ordered the closure of Lake Tahoe's STL outlet to favor another gaming operator.
Del Rosario said no new game operator has applied for a business permit to run an STL in the city.
According to del Rosario, who is the city's Anti-Gambling Task Force, the franchise of the Lake Tahoe with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has already expired on March 8, 2008.
But officials of the gaming corporation said their franchise is still valid until June 2008.
