By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) ordered the relief of three Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) police chiefs yesterday morning.

The three police chiefs were identified as Calatrava Municipal Police Station commander, Police Chief Inspector John Joel Batusbatusan; Cadiz City Police Station deputy, Police Inspector Alfred Garcia; and NOPPO administrative head, Police Chief Inspector Ariel Pico.

NOPPO spokesperson, Police Senior Inspector Aireen Cordua, confirmed Pico would be promoted to police superintendent and reassigned to Panay; however, she remained mum on Batusbatusan and Garcia’s relief.

Cordua added, the five police chiefs who were supposed to be transferred to the Antique Police Provincial Office were recalled after NOPPO director, Police Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil, urged PRO-6 director, Police Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, to keep them in Negros Occidental.

The five were Candoni municipal police chief, Police Senior Inspector Celjun Nemenio; Don Salvador Benedicto municipal police chief, Police Senior Inspector Jovito Bose; Moises Padilla municipal police chief, Police Chief Inspector Joshua Villasis; Sagay City police chief, Police Chief Inspector Robert Mansueto; and Police Chief Inspector Alan Gary Resuma of the Isabela Municipal Police Station.

Cordua confirmed the five have since returned to their previous posts.

Earlier, PRO-6 issued a memorandum ordering the five relieved from duty due to their performance in the campaign against illegal drugs in their respective localities./DGB, WDJ