Full-fledged status of Cebu City police chief in limbo

THE permanent appointment of Col. Antonieto Cañete as full-fledged chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) remains uncertain.

This as Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia is still undecided whether to recommend the police official to a permanent status or choose another official for the CCPO leadership.

Garcia told reporters on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, that he has not yet recommended Cañete for a permanent position, citing the need to select the right official to lead the city’s police.

Cañete, a lawyer and native of Bantayan in northern Cebu, assumed the position of CCPO’s director albeit in an acting capacity last July 26. He replaced Col. Ireneo Dalogdog, who had served the CCPO for more than a year.

Garcia said he is still awaiting recommendations from the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the permanent director position.

When asked who his personal choice is, Garcia said he has none and has yet to meet the officials that will be recommended by the PNP.

“I’ll also look at their track record, at the same time naa man tay mga grupo nga atong pangayoan og mga opinion (there are groups that we can ask for opinions).

The private sector for example, of course, the city councilors, the vice mayor, so that I want to come to a consensus in choosing the right city director,” he said.

Meanwhile, the acting mayor has told Cañete to intensify efforts against criminality amid ongoing criminal incidents in the city.

At 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Ramie Jimm Villaruz, 37, died after he was shot multiple times in Sitio Daclan, Barangay Tejero at 2:30 a.m. The incident arose from a heated argument related to a love triangle involving Villaruz and the suspect, who has not yet been apprehended.

Over an hour later, Victor Agillon, 67, was shot dead in Barangay Mambaling. Eyewitnesses told the police that two gunmen initially approached Agillon under the pretense of buying illegal substances. After he informed them, he was no longer involved in drug dealing, they returned and shot him multiple times. The police suspect that this incident may also be drug-related, and investigations are ongoing to identify the assailants.

Garcia said he had a talk with Cañete, during which the latter told him that “prevention is better than cure.”

After assuming as CCPO’s acting chief, Cañete deployed police personnel to the streets and places where most people converge malls, schools, churches and public markets.

Garcia described shootings and drug-related incidents as isolated cases, but he vowed to solve them.

“We’ll get to the bottom of [these incidents]. These things happen, but what’s important is that we find solutions,” he said.

The acting mayor said the City Government is always supporting law enforcement units. He mentioned recent donations of police vehicles, fire ammunition, equipment, and firearms to the police department before the Palarong Pambansa 2024.

“There’s no reason why they cannot fight criminality,” Garcia said.