Comendador gets marching orders

CEBU, Philippines - Senior Superintendent Patrocinio Comendador Jr. will soon leave his post as Cebu Provincial Police Office director after he received a copy of the relief order direct from the Camp Crame Wednesday.

However, Comendador said he still has to wait for the implementing order from the Police Regional Office-7. He will be temporarily assigned to the regional headquarters pending his next assignment.

The order for Comendador’s relief took effect Thursday, but a formal turnover will be held on Monday at the provincial headquarters. He will be replaced by Sr. Supt. Noel Gillamac, chief of the Regional Personnel and Human Resource and Development Division.

Comendador met Gillamac yesterday afternoon for a briefing on the current situation of the Cebu Province before the turnover.

Comendador served the CPPO for two years and five months after he was chosen by former governor Gwendolyn Garcia last April 2011 over two other officials, Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr. and Senior Supt. Edward Carranza.

Comendador also served as Cebu City Police Office director from Jan. 2, 2007 to Aug. 31, 2010. He was then designated as chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division.

One of his major accomplishments was the investigation of the Ellah Joy Pique case. Ellah Joy was abducted in Minglanilla town Feb. 8, 2011 before being found dead the next day in Barili town.

He was also credited for the reduction of CPPO’s index crimes and increase in police operations in 2011 and 2012.

Among the times he will not forget is the recent elections.

“Nalipay ko nga wala’y standoff and no one died during election aside sa way kuryente before sa akong pagsugod ug sak-yanan nga dili mudagan,” he said.

CPPO won for having the Best Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Operating Team nationwide and ranked second among police offices in the entire Philippines to have the most number of firearms confiscated.

Comendador said that his legacy as leader of the office is to instill a culture of excellence among the staffs and personnel and to maintain moral ascendency.

“In all the things we do, we should aim for the best,” he said.  (FREEMAN)