5 QCPD officials sacked

MANILA, Philippines - Five officials of the Quezon City Police District were ordered relieved yesterday for high crime rate in their jurisdiction by QCPD director Chief Superintendent Richard Albano.

Sacked were Superintendents Osmundo de Guzman, commander of QCPD Station 1; his deputy commander Chief Inspector Joseph de Vera; Senior Inspector Oliver Villanueva, head of the Station 1’s investigation branch; Norberto Babagay, commander of Station 4, and Ramon Pranada, commander of Station 7.

Albano said De Vera and Villanueva were tagged in the EDSA “hulidap” operation.

De Guzman was axed for command responsibility.

Albano said there is no place for rogue policemen in the QCPD.

“Thirteen cops have been entrapped or arrested on my orders and charged with criminal cases,” he said.

Pranada, meanwhile, was relieved from his post for failing to curb crime in his area, Albano said.

The QCPD Station 7 covers the Cubao area.

Pranada maintained that QCPD Station 7 had a low level of theft and robbery incidents.

He said he respects Albano’s decision.

Babagay was sacked from his post following the ambush of his officer, Chief Inspector Roderick Medrano, last week and high crime rate in his jurisdiction.

But he maintained that he had been efficient in handling peace and order situation in his area.

Babagay was replaced by Superintendent Eleazar Matta, erstwhile commander of QCPD Station 6 (Batasan).

Superintendent Segundo Lagundi Jr., former head of Task Force Commonwealth, took over as QCPD Station 6 commander.

Superintendent Wilson Delos Santos has been designated as the new commander of the QCPD Station 7.

Meanwhile, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito yesterday filed a resolution calling for an inquiry into the high crime rate in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

He cited a rape-slay case in Bulacan and the kidnapping of a Filipino-Chinese businessman in Manila recently.

“It is daunting and disheartening that in the past weeks and months, there is an unabated occurrence of crime,” Ejercito said in Senate Resolution 883.

He cited a rape-slay case in Bulacan, the separate ambush incidents of a barangay chairman in Manila and a police officer in Quezon City, the Benito Chao murder in Caloocan City and the “hulidap” operation along EDSA by members of the QCPD.