Newly-elected officials want police chiefs replaced

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) said on Tuesday that he received requests from some newly-elected officials in the province to change the current police chiefs in their respective areas before they assume office on June 30, 2019.

Baleros said local officials, whom he refused to name, presumed that the loyalty of the current police chiefs is with the previous administrations.

Despite their requests, Baleros said the relief of a police chief will still depend on performance.

“They will be evaluated and assessed if there is really a need to change them from their area of assignment,” Baleros said.

If they are delivering accomplishments in the province, there is no reason for them to be replaced, especially if we do not have available officers to fill in the vacancy, he added.

“If he or she is a newly-assigned police chief, but still performing good, we can retain him,” he said.

On June 13, Police Major Robert Dejucos, chief of La Castellana Municipal Police Station, was relieved from his post and was replaced by Major Fernando Somblingo from Special Action Force-Battalion 6 based in Sagay City.

Baleros did not elaborate on the reason behind Dejucos’s relief, but he claimed it was part of the normal procedural process.

Dejucos will be given a new assignment at Nocppo headquarters here on July 1.