CITING a clamor from the locals, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, November 28, suggested to Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde that controversial Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido be reassigned to Ozamiz City.

"Sir, nandito ako sa Ozamiz. Sabi ko sa kanila, 'Gusto ba ninyo babalik si Espenido?' (Sir, I'm here in Ozamiz. I asked them, 'Do you want Espenido back?')" Duterte addressed Albayalde in his speech delivered during the groundbreaking of the Ozamiz Airport Modernization Project.

The audience responded with a "yes".

"Gusto talaga nila, sir (They really want him back, sir). They feel safer with Espenido," the President added.

Espenido was the police chief of Albuera, Leyte when town mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was shot dead by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) agents inside his detention cell in Baybay in November 2017.

The mayor was arrested over his alleged involvement in illegal drugs a month earlier.

Espenido was reassigned to Ozamiz City in December 2016. He was the police chief when town mayor Reynaldo Parojinog was slain in a police anti-drug operation in July 2017.

The controversial police officer was reassigned to head the Calbayog City police in Samar, the PNP confirmed Monday, November 26. Prior to his new assignment, Espenido was the police chief of Virac, Catanduanes. (SunStar Philippines)