CIDG Pavia operations put local police chief under fire

By Jenifer P. Rendon

Was he a victim or a police officer remiss in his job?

It looks like Capt. Ritz Field Presquito’s designation as head of the Pavia Municipal Police Station is at risk following the twin anti-illegal firearm operations of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Iloilo Provincial Field Unit.

In a radio interview, Pavia Mayor Laurence Anthony “Luigi” Gorriceta expressed disappointment about the two “abduction” incidents, which turned out to be CIDG-led operations.

Gorriceta said he was confused by the conflicting statements issued by the Police Regional Office 6, which cited the reports of the Pavia Municipal Police Station, and that of the CIDG-Iloilo Provincial Field Unit.

The mayor said he might ask for Presquito’s relief if the matter is not resolved.

By how things are going, Gorriceta said he is not satisfied with his local police chief’s performance.

Still, he is asking for the intervention of Brig. Gen. Josefino Ligan, Western Visayas police chief, to resolve the matter.

It was gathered that the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) 6 has also stepped into the matter.

NAPOLCOM-6 ordered Presquito to appear before its office on Wednesday morning.

Presquito, his deputy police chief and the investigator on the case went to the NAPOLCOM office around 10 a.m. Wednesday, where he was asked about the events surrounding the two incidents.

The CIDG is still insisting that its field unit coordinated with the local police about the operations but did not provide details on when and what time they coordinated.

It was not clear who did the coordination on the CIDG’s end and with whom they coordinated.

While Presquito is mum on the coordination side, past interviews would show that the local police went on a hot pursuit operation until the morning of the following day.

Based on the Pavia Municipal Police Station report, the first incident involving alias Mark happened at around 6:25 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Barangay Cabugao Sur, Pavia, while the second case involving alias Steph happened at 6:30 p.m. at the Pavia town proper.

The first incident was labeled as an alleged shooting incident, while the second one was tagged as an abduction case.

In the CIDG report, it was stated that operatives conducted an entrapment operation against Mark at 7:30 p.m.

Reports said the inventory was done at Barangay Anilao, Pavia, but the CIDG claimed it took place at its office in La Paz, Iloilo City.

In the case of Steph, she said what happened to her was a case of domestic dispute, citing that the men who forced her to get inside the car were former lovers.

This was only known when she appeared at the police station at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.

But the CIDG said in an interview late Tuesday morning that they operated on Steph but released her after no firearm was taken from her possession.

Meanwhile, Col. Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, said he is planning to pay a visit to Gorriceta on Thursday.

He admitted that he plans to clear the air about the incident but did not go into details.