POLICE Col. Roderick Mariano, the new Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director, said he will soon appoint new members of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB.)
According to the new provincial director, it is favorable to have a new set of PIB personnel for his new administration.
“We will have a new PIB. I am still scouting. It is better if as the new PD, I will also have a new PIB. So that when we brief them, we want it to be more sincere. We want our work to be transparent. Maybe by next week, we have the new PIB,” he said.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Debold Sinas ordered the relief of 18 intelligence operatives after their misencounter in Barangay Sudlon 1, Lahug that resulted in the death of Police Corporal Feliciano Yballe.
Mariano has yet to check the status of the 16 former PIB members. He said he will look for new assignments in the province. The other two have asked Sinas for new assignments.
“I will still have to check on their status, but I think most of them will be reinstated here in the province. I will still have to observe them and assess their competencies kasi sayang naman yung galing nila. If they have to go down and serve our police stations, we will do that,” he said.
Mariano also said that before the new PIB members could conduct anti-drug operations, he will hold seminars and training for them.
He also said he will check their background.
“Definitely, our drug operatives will be given seminars, competencies. I will conduct seminars. I will conduct workshops. Tuturuan natin sila. Even with the investigators. We will also have the Criminal Investigation Course,” he said.
According to Mariano, among the considerations he has in looking for the new PIB is the complete background investigation to include the personnel’s previous assignments and units.
“We have a lot of capable men, but since it’s Cebu, we also focus on drugs. Alam niyo naman siguro. With the help of my officers and of the region, we will study this,” he said.
A drug unit is a special unit. Whoever is assigned there should be competent. They must have undergone seminars or training on the fight against illegal drugs as it is very complicated. It’s not the job of an ordinary policeman, he added.
As of now, Mariano said that while they are strengthening their campaign against illegal drugs, he has already instructed his police chiefs to check their drugs watch list and give an update on their areas so that they can pursue barangay clearing operations. (WBS)