All 39 police officers and personnel who were relieved from the Parian police precinct in Cebu City started their basic training and moral recovery program last Wednesday.
Senior Supt. Joel Doria, Cebu City police chief, said he also cut the allowances of these police personnel on the orders of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
He said it’s no problem for him since the allowances were a privilege extended by the city.
Doria said the re-training and moral recovery program is in keeping with procedure at Camp Crame after what happened to one of their people last Monday.
The relief of all 39 police at the Parian police precinct came in the wake of the arrest of PO3 Ritchie Saquilabon who was caught for allegedly extorting P20,000 from a drug suspect.
Two other police officers managed to escape. Saquilabon is facing charges for robbery and extortion in court.
The two police officers who were with him will be required to explain their actions before facing sanctions for their failure to report and their alleged involvement in the crime.
Supt. Ryan Devaras, chief of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB), said they are pursuing the whereabouts of the police officers whom they believe to be still within Cebu City.
The re-training came amid the conduct of random drug tests among police personnel in the police precincts in Metro Cebu and the towns of Minglanilla and Compostela.
Senior Supt. Edgar Allan Okubo, Cebu provincial police chief, said one police officer initially tested positive for drug use in Compostela town.
He said the police officer had been relieved and transferred to their personnel holding office for investigation.