Police Colonel Geovanie Maines, holds a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, November 12, 2019, in Camp Sotero Cabahug along Gorordo Avenue, Cebu City. | Alven Marie A. Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The police officer, who was recommended by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella to take on the post of the officer-in-charge (OIC) of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), has been relieved.
Police Colonel Arnel Banzon, who was the chief of the Operation and Plans Division of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), was relieved last week, due to an alleged health condition.
Details of Banzon’s ailment, however, was not revealed.
It could be recalled that Banzon’s name surfaced in the news reports after he was recommended last week by Labella to Police Brigadier General Valeriano De Leon, PRO-7 director, to sit as the acting CCPO chief.
“I am positive that with his qualifications and experience, he will be of great service to the City of Cebu,” reads a portion of Labella’s letter which was dated November 20, 2019.
Read more: Colonel Banzon is Labella’s choice for Cebu City Police Office in-charge
According to Police Colonel Geovanie Maines, current OIC of CCPO, Banzon is suffering from a health condition that once sent him to the hospital.
Maines said that De Leon decided to relieve Banzon, who leads a very crucial office, to ease Banzon of the burden of work that might worsen his condition.
“Operations, dyan lahat ang mga trabaho ng pulis natin, very crucial ang office na yan (That is operations. It involves all the work of our police officers. It is a very crucial office),” said Maines.
Read more: Acting CCPO Chief Maines on Labella’s OIC request: It’s up to PRO-7 chief and Crame
As for the recommendation of Labella, Maines said that De Leon might consider it after the result of the investigation of the slay of Clarin, Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro, which would decide whether relieved CCPO Chief Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan, would be able to come back to her original post.
Read more: De Leon places Vinluan on ‘floating status’
With this development, Maines cited the challenge of appointing Banzon to the post if Vinluan would not be allowed to return as CCPO chief.
“That is the choice of the Mayor, but how will the regional director appoint him kung may sakit naman (if he is suffering from an illness)?” Maines asked.
Maines said that Banzon was being temporarily assigned at the Regional Police Holding Administrative Unit (RPHAU) at the PRO-7 to give him time to recuperate.
He also said that Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, former Aurora Provincial Police Office director, would take over Banzon’s post as PRO-7’s Operation and Plans Division chief. /dbs