MEMBERS of the Liga ng mga Barangay and Sangguniang Bayan of La Trinidad have asked for the possible extension of the service of Chief Inspector Benson Macli-ing as La Trinidad Municipal Police Station chief.
Macli-ing’s extension was sought by the two bodies in a resolution submitted to Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana, Police Regional Office Cordillera director, in a bid to continue the programs, projects and activities (PPAs) and maintenance of peace and order in the valley.
Councilor Roderick Awingan, chair of the committee on peace and order, said Macli-ing’s service has greatly contributed improvements and many developments in the maintenance of peace and order in the municipality as proven by the numerous awards and citations under his leadership and supervision.
Awingan added that it is public knowledge that Macli-ing will be completing his second year of service as chief of police of La Trinidad in December 2018.
“(As) much as we want that Macli-ing deserves a chance for personal growth and opportunity for others to have his service, the municipality requires his service even for a few months just to make sure that the implementation of the Neighborhood Watch and other new peace and order, and public safety related programs will be in its stable form,” says Awingan.
The chief of police is the chairman of the Neighborhood Watch Group Steering Board, which is a community-police crime prevention partnership.
Although no specific time were mentioned, both the council and the league asked for enough time for the PPAs to be stabilize.
Through a resolution on October 26, sixteen barangay captains of the Benguet capital town have also expressed the same request to the Cordillera police regional director.
“It is in the best interest of the people of La Trinidad, Benguet to have a police chief that commands like the leadership of the C/Insp. Benson Macli-ing,” adds the resolution.
La Trinidad Association of Barangay Captains president and Councilor Charles Canuto stated the barangay captains saw once he will be replaced, there will be no continuity on the programs and activities especially on drugs, neighborhood watch and other programs.
Under the leadership of Macli-ing, the La Trinidad Municipal Police Station was hailed as the best municipal police station of the year for both in the regional and national level.