EPD official relieved

Eastern Police District director Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman ordered the relief yesterday of a ranking EPD official for allegedly providing "undue" police escorts to former Manila congressman Mark Jimenez during a recent media briefing at Metrowalk Mall in Pasig City.

Ticman emphasized that Superintendent Rogelio Labor, head of the EPD’s District Mobile Force, was not being sanctioned and the relief was necessary to prevent him from influencing the outcome of a police inquiry.

Ticman ordered Labor transferred to the Mandaluyong City police force and designated Superintendent Cesar Lumagbas as the new DMF commander.

Reports claimed that Labor allegedly provided at least six heavily-armed police escorts to Jimenez during his media briefing at a restaurant at Metrowalk in Ortigas Center. The policemen were deployed outside the Pancake House restaurant.

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales found the police security inappropriate, noting that Jimenez was released from a US prison late last year after serving two years for tax and mail fraud. — Non Alquitran