BACOLOD City Police Office (BCPO) will wait for the official communication from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Western Visayas on the reported reassignment of the controversial police official Lieutenant Colonel Jovie Espenido to the BCPO.
This was stressed by Police Lieutenant Ariel Pico, spokesperson of BCPO, Tuesday, October 8, after they received a report on the supposed reassignment of Espenido to the BCPO.
“As of now, we do not have an official order from the PRO-6 so let’s just wait,” Pico said.
He added that they cannot confirm the report because they do not have an official order.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, spokesperson of PRO-Western Visayas, earlier said that they received a memorandum for the reassignment of Espenido from Ozamiz City Police Office to the PRO-Western Visayas.
She said that Malong will be reassigned to BCPO and it’s up to the BCPO director Police Colonel Henry Binas on what position to give.
If Espenido will be reassigned here, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said that it may be for another position, not as city director.
“He’s not yet full-pledged colonel and as a highly-urbanized city, the BCPO head should have a rank of Police Colonel. Anybody will be assigned here, we welcome them,” he said.
He added he is hopeful that Espenido will be assigned in City Drug Enforcement Unit of BCPO because according to news he is very tough, hands on and straight forward.
In 2016, Espenido was the chief of police in Albuera, Leyte when the town’s then Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was tagged as drug suspect, was shot to death inside the jail in Baybay City.
The following year, Espenido was reassigned to Ozamiz City where then Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, who was also linked to illegal drugs, was also killed in a police operation.