Punta police chief relieved from post

FOR performing poorly in the campaign against illegal drugs, the chief of the Punta Princesa Police Station in Cebu City was relieved from his post.

Chief Insp. Arthur dela Rosa was transferred to the traffic division of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

Senior Insp. Percibal Miasco, Dela Rosa’s deputy chief, was named officer-in-charge of the Punta Princessa Police Station.

Supt. Romeo Santander said Dela Rosa’s relief was part of the recommendation that the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) made to Supt. Marciano Batiancela Jr., acting director of CCPO.

Santander, chief of CIB, said there will still be more movements among the station commanders as evaluation on their performance in the illegal drug campaign continues.

Every police station is mandated to conduct at least two anti-drug operations every month.

The order came from Chief Supt. Prudencio Bañas, chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).

Santander said the top two performing police stations will be named based on their performance in the first and second quarter of the year.

Santander initially identified the Parian, Waterfront, Mabolo, Pardo, Mambaling, Talamban, Guadalupe and Punta Princesa as the police stations which performed poorly in the campaign against illegal drugs.

Santander said there have been some improvements since then.

Though there were improvements, Santander reminded the 11 police stations in Cebu City that “they are not off the hook as monitoring will continue.”

“Quarterly evaluation will continue, they should not be relaxed. It is an open book right now that some incidents are drug-related. Focus and police presence should be one of the priority,” said Santander.

Only the police stations of Carbon, Sawang Calero and Fuente are doing well with significant number of anti-drug operations made.