CEBU City officials including suspended Mayor Michael Rama are hoping that the Philippine National Police will not replace Senior Supt. Marciano Batiancela as acting Cebu City Police Office chief.
Rama and Tinago barangay captain Joel Garganera, who is a member the city’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council, said replacing the police chief may affect the preparations for the two big events happening in the city this month.
These events are the Sinulog 2016 and the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC). The officials’ reaction came amid reports of Batiancela’s impending replacement.
“We are in the middle of the preparation then they will replace him. Is this your version of creating control, of being on top of the situation? We have to make these (events) successful,” Garganera said in Cebuano.
“I’m not trying to diminish the capacity of the one who will replace (Batiancela), but the events will happen next week and every day we have events for the Sinulog,” he said in Cebuano.
Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has already sent a letter to the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame endorsing the appointment of Batiancela as the permanent CCPO director. Batiancela has been the acting chief for the past six months.