Rama sees enemy’s hand in cop chief appointment

CEBU, Philippines - take on a regional post as “promotion,” what Mayor Michael Rama saw was the unseen hand of his political enemy working against him.

Now that Police Regional Office-7 Director Prudencio Tom Bañas designated an officer-in-charge to prevent a leadership vacuum at CCPO while the mayor was away, Rama saw those unseen hands again.

Rama, who arrived from Japan yesterday after attending the third United Nations World Conference on disaster risk reduction, was lighthearted at first when entertaining questions from the media at the start of a press conference at City Hall.

But his mood turned sour after learning that Bañas appointed Senior Superintendent Marciano Batiancela Jr. on Monday as CCPO officer-in-charge replacing Senior Superintendent Conrado Capa.

Capa was recently promoted as executive officer of the PRO-7 Directorate for Integrated Police Operations.

Rama said there supposedly was an agreement to halt any movement concerning vacant posts unless a permanent Philippine National Police chief is appointed.

“Has there been a new PNP chief? None, so why there’s a movement? Who’s making the movement? I can’t seem to agree where the action was coming (from),” he said.

PNP chief Alan Purisima has resigned following the Mamasapano incident that killed 44 members of police Special Action Force. He was replaced by Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, who took over as PNP OIC.

Rama said he is holding Bañas responsible for his “quick” action of appointing Batiancela as CCPO OIC.

“Let’s not jump right away and be too quick with our decision because haste makes waste. I would also be too circumspect…and exercise caution,” he said, adding that Bañas should have been more circumspect.

The mayor said that while Bañas still has “trust and confidence,” his choice as CCPO OIC does not have his automatic support.

“It doesn’t mean that I don’t acknowledge (Batiancela’s appointment). If that’s the way they want it then let it be so, but the one who will be held responsible is Regional Director Bañas. We don’t know if he was forced to appoint Batiancela,” Rama said.

He believes that Batiancela’s designation as OIC police director was “politically motivated” because of the upcoming elections.

“I’m not saying that I don’t like Batiancela, it’s just that I didn’t like the way things are transpiring. They just have to be honest that they don’t like the mayor that’s why they want somebody there that they like who will control the mayor and the city,” he said without specifying whom he was referring to.

Rama said he will do a background check on Batiancela, including his accomplishments, saying “it’s better to be on the safe side than to be sorry.”

He said he will reveal where Batiancela used to be and why he was assigned to the regional headquarters.

“There’s must be a history,” he said.

Batiancela has served CCPO from 2001 to 2009 as chief of the Mabolo, Waterfront and San Nicolas police stations, successively. — /RHM (FREEMAN)