BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan criticized the leadership of the Police Regional office (PRO) in the Cordillera and the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) for replacing ranking officials of the local police force without undergoing the proper consultations with city officials as a matter of respect to the authority of local chief executives to have direct supervision over the police in their areas of jurisdiction.
Domogan claimed the replacement of Superintendent Freddie Lasona, chief of the BCPO traffic management branch and another police official was simply brought to his attention through text messages which seems to be not the proper procedure in the relief of police officers assigned in a certain locality.
While it is true that it will be a promotion for Superintendent Lasona, he pointed out there should have been consultations that should have been conducted by the concerned police officials on the matter of their replacement so that local officials will not be caught by surprise with the sudden relief of their officers assigned in the various police stations in their areas of jurisdiction.
“It is unfortunate that we were informed of the replacement of some BCPO officials through a text message and we were not even properly briefed on the matter before the replacement of the assigned police officers were implemented,” Domogan stressed.
He explained it is also unfortunate that the replacement of ranking BCPO officers has been done when the city needs their services because of the expected influx of visitors wanting to spend their vacation in the city during the Yuletide season.
According to him, he cannot understand why PRO-COR and BCPO officers refuse to consult with local officials on the matter of the timing in effecting the replacement of ranking police officers so that on-going peace and order and anti-criminality programs will not be compromised.
Domogan questioned the PRO-COR and the BCPO why there is a speedy turnover of police officers at the BCPO which is not actually happening in other cities and provinces in the country, thus, the need for them to assess their treatment of police officers being assigned in the city.
He added the PNP leadership should not wait for the time that city officials will be fed up with what is happening to the BCPO officers being assigned in the city because the local government might eventually decide to scrap the annual funding assistance that it is providing the local police force and it will be up to the PNP to source out the funds that it needs for its operations in the city.
Domogan asserted the city does not oppose the replacement of ranking BCPO officers if it will be for their promotion because they do not want to hinder their success but their relief should be done with utmost respect and consideration to the local officials who also supervise them for them to be guided on who will be assigned as their replacement because they deserve to be appraised on the matter as a routine procedure. /By Dexter A. See#
