Shooting incidents trigger police revamp

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - A reshuffling of personnel of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), and a possible will take place next week, as a result of a series of shooting and stabbing incidents in last week alone.

Senior Supt. Marietto Valerio, Sr., ICPO director, announced that the impending relief of Chief Insp. Rene Lauron as chief of La Paz Police Station triggered the revamp.

ICPO recorded three shooting and one stabbing incidents in La Paz district, resulting in one death and injury of three others. No one was held responsible for these incidents.

Amid speculation that these incidents cost Lauron his job, Valerio clarified that he just wanted to put a different official for the job. "Maybe, we need someone who will look at the work from a different perspective," he said.

Valerio said Lauron will be assigned as the new chief of the ICPO Police Community Relations Section, which is handled by ICPO deputy chief for administration Supt. Giovanni Musico.

"I think we could use the expertise of Lauron at PCR. We foresee that he could deliver well," said Valerio, adding that Lauron's new job is not a demotion.

"He will work with me as my staff. Most of the times, I think it's healthy that an officer gets to taste different kinds of work from time to time," he explained.

Taking over Lauron's post at La Paz Police Station will be Chief Insp. Jay Malong, who is currently the deputy chief of the City Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, a unit under ICPO deputy chief for operations Supt. Noel Lamsis.

Senior Insp. Alexander Rosales, former chief of La Paz Police Station, will take over Malong's job. — THE FREEMAN