THE National Police Commission (Napolcom) has restored the operational supervision and control over the police force of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
The Napolcom en banc issued the resolution, which was served to him yesterday afternoon, more than a month after it was revoked.
Napolcom 7 spokesperson Atty. Risty Sibay told Sun.Star Cebu that this means the mayor has full powers over the police again.
“The resolution on the restoration was already served to the Office of the Mayor,” he said.
Sibay said commissioners of Napolcom en banc signed the resolution.
Mayor’s explanation
Sibay said the commission’s decision to restore Osmeña’s supervision came after the mayor sent a letter to their national office clarifying the issue.
He said the mayor told Napolcom that he has always been supportive of the anti-illegal drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte and he never withdrew his support from the Cebu City Police Office.
“Probably the commission saw the merits of the explanation of the mayor that’s why they released the resolution,” Sibay said.
Section 455 of the Local Government Code gives city mayors the power to “act as the deputized representative” of the Napolcom, which includes exercising “general and operational control and supervision over the local police.”
The strain between the mayor and the police started when PNP Chief Director . Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa replaced former Police Regional Office 7 director Patrocinio Comendador and Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Benjamin Santos last July 4, 60 days earlier than the agreed 90 days.
Before they were replaced, Osmeña gave the police P50,000 as incentive for every criminal killed.
Osmeña earlier clarified that he did not stop giving allowances to police officers, but only to those newly assigned like CCPO Director Senior Supt. Joel Doria.
The City Government did not also stop supplying gasoline to police vehicles and did not recall vehicles the City distributed to different police stations.