CEBU, Philippines - The Consolacion Police Station had its power connection back yesterday after it was cut off the other day on orders of Mayor Avelino Gungob, Sr.
The mayor ordered the reconnection of the power supply, but not without expressing his loss of confidence on the leadership of the provincial police command.
Gungob also replied to a letter from the Department of Interior and Local Government warning him about the legal implications of his action against the police.
The mayor complained about how his police escorts were pulled out without his knowledge, which he says is a brazen disregard to the mayor’s power to recommend transfer or reassignment of detail of PNP personnel, which is provided for in Republic Act 6975.
He explained that despite the disregard of his power, all he wanted from the Provincial Police Office was a little respect as the town’s chief executive, “which flows and emanates from his being a duly elected official.”
The CPPO explained that the police escorts of the mayor were transferred to the Provincial Mobile Group due to a complaint filed against them at the Office of the Ombudsman, which is a policy of the PNP.
Gungob would not however take this reason saying that the two men “enjoy the constitutional presumption of innocence even if they have been maliciously charged of any imagined crime by his accusers, who happened to be his political opponents in the last two elections.”
“What I have done is a plain simple leverage of their allegation that there is no threat to my person and thus, there is no legal basis for me to have bodyguards.
“If there is no threat to my person despite the fact that I have my political enemies who have an axe to grind against me, then it follows, that there is no threat to the peace and order situation of the entire municipality, thus, the presence of the PNP office in Consolacion is not also necessary to continue to exist here,” Gungob said in his letter to DILG-7 director Pedro Noval.
Sr. Supt. Jesus Gaquing, director of the CPPO, said that they are thankful to Gungob for restoring the power connection as well as the telephone lines.
Gungob cut off the power lines as well as the phone connection the other day despite warning from the DILG. Aside from cutting off the power supply, Gungob also threatened to remove the entire police force and replace them with barangay tanods, who are civilian volunteers.
Province to take action
Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday instructed provincial attorney Marino Martinquilla to gather data about the incident in Consolacion. Capitol Consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda said that from these data, the Provincial Attorney’s office will then decide if the province will file charges against Gungob and all those officials involved.
The Governor was irked by the action of Gungob and vowed to help seek remedy about the uncalled for act of ther mayor. — Pepe Sollano, Gabriel Bonjoc and Liv Campo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)