CL police director orders relief of San Fernando cop chief

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Purportedly to lift suspicions that the police in this city are supportive of the bid of a suspected jueteng lord to be elected president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) here, Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Oscar Calderon ordered yesterday the "temporary" relief of this city’s chief of police.

"Nakakahiya kung manalo si Ngongo (It would be an embarrassment if Ngongo wins)", Calderon said, referring to suspected big-time gambling lord Melchor Caluag, alias Ngongo, who won as barangay chairman in the business district of Dolores here in the elections on July 15.

Calderon told Pampanga police chief Senior Supt. Rodolfo Mendoza to issue the order relieving Senior Supt. Sonny Cunanan. While he did not directly link Cunanan to Caluag’s jueteng operations, Calderon said the police chief has been occupying his present post "too long". Local folk have also perceived Cunanan as tolerant of the suspected gambling lord, as they are both cockfighting aficionados who frequent the Pampanga coliseum for high stake derbies.

Caluag was earlier reported to have offered a trip to Hong Kong and pocket money of P100,000 to barangay chiefs who would support his plans to be elected ABC president this September. The post would elevate him to the status of city councilor.

Cunanan is set to undergo schooling to take up an Officer’s Senior Executive Training Course. He is expected to be replaced by Senior Supt. Percival Barba. But Calderon stressed Cunanan’s relief is only temporary and that he might be reinstalled after the ABC elections "depending on the situation."

"I just want to remove suspicions that the police are supporting Ngongo’s bid to be president of the ABC," he said, adding that he has also ordered Mendoza to file more cases against Caluag in the courts. Caluag is believed to be the biggest jueteng lord operating not only in Pampanga, but also in other parts of Central Luzon where he rakes in several millions of pesos daily.

Last month, the local police arrested Caluag for illegal gambling, but he posted bail amounting to P10,000 on the same day.

Calderon also said that he has tasked a special team to look into Caluag’s declaration of assets and liabilities which he filed when he ran during the last barangay polls. "It is basically the job of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and in the case of money laundering, that’s the role of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, but we are looking into asking these agencies to conduct a probe," he added.