Erap sacks MPD station chief

MANILA, Philippines - Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada relieved yesterday the commander of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 11 over the proliferation of illegal vendors in his jurisdiction.

In a telephone interview with The STAR, Estrada identified the official as Superintendent Alexander Navarette.

“I personally conducted an inspection in Tondo and I discovered that the vendors there spread like mushrooms. I also learned that Navarette’s men are collecting protection money from the vendors,” he said.

Estrada appointed Superintendent Wilson Doromal as Navarette’s replacement.

He accused Navarette and his men of earning more than P100,000 each day by collecting P40 to P100 from each of the more than 200 vendors.

Estrada said he is leaving Navarette’s fate to MPD director Chief Superintendent Isagani Genabe, who assumed his post yesterday.

Genabe, on the other hand, said he will give his police officials 15 days to prove their worth. He warned corrupt police officers that if they are caught in the act or someone files charges against them, “something bad would happen to you.”

Genabe, however, said they will observe due process in prosecuting police officers charged with corruption.

As for the police officers who arrested Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and some councilors for holding a bingo game earlier this year, Genabe said he does not know if there are cases filed against them.

“If there are, then they have to face it. But the fact is even the vice mayor told me he has forgotten and forgiven almost everybody in that incident because he knows they were not the ones behind it,” he said.

Estrada accused his predecessor, Alfredo Lim, of ordering the arrest of Moreno and several councilors. Lim, who failed in his re-election bid, denied the claim. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Evelyn Macairan