NCRPO chief sacks EPD exec for near-brawl

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria ordered yesterday the administrative relief of a senior officer of the Eastern Police District for nearly trading blows with his subordinate at the EPD headquarters last week.

Valmoria said the immediate relief of Senior Superintendent Antonio Gumiran, EPD deputy chief for administration, is to prevent him from influencing the outcome of an investigation into his conflict with Chief Inspector Juvenal Barbosa.

Gumiran was transferred to the NCRPO’s regional police holding and administrative unit. Valmoria said Gumiran could retain his post if the investigation – initiated by EPD director Chief Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta – clears him of liability for the incident.

Villacorta and Gumiran belong to the Philippine Military Academy  Class 1983.

Valmoria said Barbosa will remain as head of the EPD’s criminal investigation unit and the concurrent officer-in-charge of the District Investigation and Detective Management Division.  

A source claimed that the near-fistfight between Gumiran and Barbosa occurred at the EPD headquarters on April 15.

Gumiran allegedly accused Barbosa of alluding to him when he reported that the illegal arrest of some Koreans and the extortion of P2.7 million from them “has the blessings of a ranking EPD official.”

When the raid at a condominium in Mandaluyong City was staged last March 13 by 14 EPD police officers, Gumiran was the officer-in-charge of the EPD.

The source claimed that Gumiran threw the four-page report prepared by Barbosa on the extortion incident and the two police officials almost came to blows. However, cooler heads intervened and prevented the incident from going out of hand.