Cop's relief not linked to raid on fish farm

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —The relief of Supt. Harold Tuzon as officer-in-charge of the Sagay City Police Station has nothing to do with the raid of members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on a fish farm last Saturday night.

The fish farm, located in Sagay City, is owned by Joseph Edgar Sarrosa, nephew of Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr.

Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan, police provincial director, clarified Tuesday that Tuzon was relieved from his post because the latter is set to return to school. In fact, the relief order reportedly came days before the raid on the fish farm.

“Tuzon was relieved because he is due for schooling and not because of the NPA raid on the fish farm,” Guisihan said.

Guisihan said he has issued the relief order for Tuzon on July 13, three days before the raid on July 16. The relief became effective last Monday, July 18.

Speculations had it that Tuzon may have been relieved after rebels successfully broke into the fish farm. Soldiers admitted they were not able to intercept the rebels because they were “fast and had escaped towards the sea.”

Guisihan said Senior Insp. Gabriel Gutierrez will replace Tuzon. Gutierrez was former police chief of Sagay but was relieved from his post owing to the one-strike policy of the Philippine National Police in the campaign against illegal gambling.

Sagay City Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva confirmed Gutierrez’ reassignment as police chief of Sagay.

Tuzon will report to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office pending the final schedule of his schooling, Guisihan added.

 A report of the 303rd Infantry Brigade said about 15 rebels under a certain Caloy of the Jean Pelle Command of the Northern Negros Front ransacked the fish farm, carted away the firearms of the security guards and took away the wallets and mobile phones of the employees. - THE FREEMAN