ILOILO CITY –  Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol,  Western Visayas police director, said yesterday that he may recommend the reinstatement of the supervisory power of Mayor Melecio Yap over the Escalante police, after the local government unit resumed its support to the city police force.

Querol, however, said that he will not decide it alone, and  will also confer with members of the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center, that  is co-chaired by the Philippine Army and Philippine National Police in Negros Occidental.

Yap, who was stripped of his police supervisory power by the National Police Commission for his alleged links to the New People’s Army, based on the confidential report of Querol and former Napolcom regional director Honey Paredes, returned several equipment and a patrol car, memorandum receipts of which were  signed by some of the 12 relieved Escalante police, last month.

Querol recently reinstated seven of the 12 to the Escalante City Police Station, when  complainants did not file any complaints against them.

The relief of the 12 policemen last year without consulting local government executives, led to the passage of three resolutions that included the withdrawal of support to the local police and the use of its building by the police station.

Querol said he is giving  the complainants one week to file charges against the Escalante policemen, who have not yet been  reinstated to the Escalante police.

Failure to do so, Querol said will compel  him to reinstate them to the Escalante City Police Station.

One of the relieved policemen, identified as Inspector Rolly Pondevilla, former Escalante deputy police, was recently promoted to senior inspector, Querol said.

He added that he will no longer recall the 12 troopers of the 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion, who had replaced the 12 policemen last year. He  added that there is no need for the relief of the remaining 31 policemen from the Escalante police, as not a single complaint was filed against them, so far.

There are 53 policemen assigned in Escalante, 22 of whom have been relieved since the middle of last year, police records show.

Querol stressed the importance of augmenting the Escalante police force with more policemen, since it is among the problematic areas in northern Negros, in terms of insurgency problem.

With the resumption of good relationships between them and the concerned LGU, Querol said he is hopeful of a stronger police partnership.

A presidential task force was jointly formed by the Departments of Justice and Interior and Local Government to investigate the spate of extra-legal killings and other illegal activities in Escalante City.* GPB

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