San Enrique police chief to be relieved June 20

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) has confirmed the relief of Major Robert Jayson Pancha as chief of police of San Enrique PNP effective Monday, June 20, 2022.

Colonel Adrian Acollador, Iloilo police chief, said that Pancha will be reassigned to the Office of the Provincial Director (OPD) so that he can still oversee the ongoing probe on a murder case that happened in San Enrique.

Major Gilbert Baldevarona, also the former San Enrique police chief, is slated to replace Pancha.

Pancha’s relief was hastened after no less than Brigadier General Flynn Dongbo, Western Visayas police chief, instructed Acollador to do “appropriate action” on the request of San Enrique Mayor Trixie Fernandez to relieve Pancha from the town.

Earlier, Fernandez sent a formal letter to Acollador asking that Pancha be replaced.

While claiming she has nothing personal against Pancha, Fernandez cited the local police chief’s failure to attend meetings. He usually sends a representative on his behalf.

There were also reports that Pancha could not be immediately reached when needed.

Fernandez has cited the importance of good relationship between the local government and the police in asking for Pancha’s relief.

Dongbo was furnished with a copy of Fernandez’s letter to Acollador.

At the onset, the Iloilo top cop said that he agreed to the request but asked that it be implemented after the election period because of the prohibition on the transfer, promotion, extension or recall of police personnel.

The election period started January 9 and ended June 8.

But a murder incident happened in San Enrique town on the day the election period ended.

German national Otto Wolfgang Alexander Knorr, 72, was shot dead inside his own house at Barangay Camiri.

Pancha was given a little more time to do follow-up investigations before he formally leaves San Enrique PNP.

But it appeared that Dongbo’s order overlooked things and pushed for Pancha’s immediate relief.