Davao City, Philippines — In a lengthy session, members of the City Council grilled Police Regional Director Nicolas Torre III for answers regarding the recent extensive reshuffling of police officers in Davao City, notably the appointment of Police Director Col. Hansel Marantan.
Eleven out of the nineteen councilors present during Tuesday’s regular session raised questions to Torre, who consistently cited the Philippine National Police’s adherence to lawful orders and professionalism as reasons behind the personnel movements.
Councilor Luna Acosta raised concerns about a reported petition seeking the reinstatement of 19 station commanders from DCPO, which Torre claimed to be unaware of. The petition purportedly aims to gather signatures for endorsement by the People’s Law Enforcement Board.
Torre defended the reshuffling, stating, “There are empirical data which led to the relief of the station commanders,” and requested the opportunity to present these data to the councilors for clarity.
Twice during the session, Torre requested Vice Mayor Melchor Quitain to present an Audio-Visual Presentation (AVP), suggesting an executive session for a more suitable setting, though the request was eventually overlooked due to unknown reasons.
Vice Mayor Quitain questioned the replacement of Colonel Lito Patay as City Director after a brief tenure, noting that Mayor Sebastian Duterte’s preference for Patay was overridden by decisions from Camp Crame, invoking Section 26 of Republic Act 6975.
“I was the one who recommended Colonel Patay but it was overruled by Camp Crame,” Torre clarified.
Section 26 specifies the powers of the Chief PNP in directing and controlling tactical and strategic movements, including personnel deployment. Torre explained that the newly appointed commanders, although from various stations in the Davao Region, are all natives of Davao or nearby provinces, which he believes will enhance their understanding of local challenges.
Chairperson Luna Acosta of the Peace and Order and Security Committee emphasized the need for collaboration between the City Council, PNP, and Executive Department to uphold peace and order in the city.
Councilor Tek Ocampo expressed public concern about recent changes, citing the appearance of nighttime checkpoints which were not previously present, stating, “We need to protect the trust and confidence of the people.”
Torre assured the City Councilors that the PNP remains apolitical “I cannot afford to fail in my command.”
In a separate inquiry, Acosta queried Atty. Berna Gentiles from the Department of Interior and Local Government XI about the legality of the DCPO changes. Gentiles clarified that while her agency oversees local government matters, they do not issue guidelines on police affairs or the PNP.
The session concluded with councilors agreeing to send letters to the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and the National Police Commission (Napolcom) for further clarification on the decisions and reasons behind the recent reshuffling at DCPO.
The post Davao Councilors question Torre on PNP reshuffling, Call for Napolcom Involvement appeared first on NewsLine Philippines.
Davao Councilors question Torre on PNP reshuffling, Call for Napolcom Involvement
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