Chief, desk officer found guilty over unattended police station

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) investigative body has found probable cause to sanction two relieved officers of San Enrique Police Station over their unattended office.

Colonel Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, said the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Unit (PIDMU) recommended Captain Airel Dawn Parcon and Corporal Ryan Barbosa be held liable for serious neglect of duty.

However, Razalan noted that the recommendation would still undergo assessment by the Discipline, Law and Order Section (DLOS) of the PNP Regional Personnel and Human Resource Doctrine Division. Brigadier General Jack Wanky will decide whether to concur with or reject the DLOS assessment.

Razalan added that mitigating and aggravating circumstances would also be considered in the imposition of sanctions. “It’s possible that while they have the same administrative case, their penalties might not be the same,” he said.

Earlier, Wanky hinted that only Parcon and Barbosa might be held responsible following a viral video showing the San Enrique Police Station appearing unattended.

Wanky said Barbosa was supposed to be at the station even if he was off duty since his reliever had not yet clocked in. Barbosa left his post without waiting for his reliever, which amounts to neglect of duty. Parcon, on the other hand, could be held accountable based on the principle of command responsibility.

Five other personnel were exonerated. Razalan mentioned that Police Senior Master Sergeant Joan Matutino, Police Staff Sergeant Ma. Ella Cachuela, Police Staff Sergeant Jivelyn Parcon, Police Staff Sergeant Dyan Rey Parcon, and Police Corporal Laurence Sionosa could be reassigned back to San Enrique PNP.

The seven personnel were relieved effective May 25, except for Parcon, who was the duty officer when the video was taken early on the morning of May 21. They were reassigned to the IPPO headquarters at Camp Sumagaysay in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

The San Enrique PNP drew attention after an influencer, identified as Kiko, went to the station at 4:30 p.m. and recorded a video showing no one responding to his calls from outside the gate. The incident took several twists, with Kiko allegedly apologizing for misrepresentation in his uploaded video. However, there were claims that policemen forced him to retract his initial statements.