Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, Cebu Police Provincial Office director
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least 10 police personnel of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) were initially listed with relatives running for electoral posts in the coming 2022 election.
Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, CPPO director, said those listed will be relieved to avoid possible participation in the campaign.
Soriano said that their listing continues as they look to keep their personnel away from participating in any election-related activity of their relatives as they are firm in staying nonpartisan.
Soriano said that they are limiting this up to the fourth civil degree.
“Sa officers wala naman kaming nakita, karamihan sa mga PNCOs katulad ng isa sa Santa Fe sa Bantayan Island na ang tatay niya ang tumatakbong independent as mayor. During my last visit, sinabihan ko na rin na walang choice kundi ilipat muna siya sa kabilang estasyon dahil yun naman ang nagiging policy ng PNP at tsaka Comelec,” Soriano said.
(For officers, we did not have any, mostly were PNCOs (non-commissioned) like one in Santa Fe in Bantayan Island, wherein his father is running for a mayoral position as an independent candidate. During my last visit, I told him that I have no choice but to transfer him to another station since this is the policy of the PNP and the Comelec.)
“So ang decision ko ay ilipat lang sya dun sa Bantayan station or sa Madridejos basta hindi lang siya doon sa mismong station nya na tumatakbo as mayor,” he added.
(So my decision is to transfer him to either Bantayan station and in Madridejos as long as he won’t stay in the same station where his father is running as mayor.)
Soriano said that of these 10 police personnel, at least four have immediate relatives and the rest were already beyond the fourth civil degree.
He further said that they will be relieved to neighboring municipalities as they still consider their personal situation. However, if there are politicking issues tagged against these personnel, they will be relieved to a farther station.
Concerning them being nonpartisan, Soriano said that he already oriented his personnel regarding the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines. As long as the actions of these police personnel are not violative under the said law, Soriano said they have no basis to relieve them. However, if they pass through the provisions of the said law, Soriano said that they will start investigating them and worse be charged administratively.
Earlier, the newly installed chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Police Lieutenant General Dionardo Carlos also reminded the entire police personnel to stay apolitical in this coming election period.
Also, Police Regional Office (PRO-7) director, Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, has relayed the same call to policemen in Central Visayas.
READ: PRO-7 chief reminds policemen in Central Visayas to stay apolitical
/bmjo