PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Archie Gamboa said on Tuesday, October 29, that he has signed the order suspending Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office Director Rafael Santiago over a case involving missing firearms.
“Yes, he was relieved because he has a suspension order that came out that was dated October 21, 2019 and sayang din because he was a very good performer but we have to implement the suspension order for six months. Even if he is retirable by May of next year, I have no other recourse but to implement it,” Gamboa said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of his inspection at the Araneta Center Bus Terminal.
“(It came from an) old case. It was filed in 2012, it's about logistics parang hindi na-turn over na firearms so he was suspended for six months,” he added.
Gamboa said a new regional director for Northern Mindanao would assume office by Thursday, October 31.
Earlier, text messages questioning the appointment of Santiago were circulated among the ranks of the PNP.
The text message allegedly criticized Gamboa for not implementing the order despite saying that the “bata-bata system”, or favoritism, no longer exists in the PNP. Santiago and Gamboa are both members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986.
The suspension order against Santiago was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea in April 2019 yet. (SunStar Philippines)