New IPPO chief vows: We will stay away from politics
STA. BARBARA, Iloilo – Newly designated chief of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) Senior Superintendent Renato Gumban, who came from the office of the directorial staff in Camp Crame, vowed to maintain the apolitical status of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the province of Iloilo this coming May 2010 elections.
Seeing that election time is more sensitive for the police while they perform their duty, Gumban said they will see to it that they will not take sides with any politician.
With this, he warned his men not to engage with any politician even if that politician is their friend or relative. Once proven that policemen engage in partisan politics, they will be facing administrative charges, said Gumban.
As he took the position of IPPO chief yesterday morning, Gumban also assured the people of the province of Iloilo that he and his men will do everything to maintain peace and order in the province.
Amenable of the great accomplishment of his predecessor Senior Supt. Ricardo Dela Paz, Gumban said he will try to meet or even improve on the latter’s record of accomplishments.
Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas, Sr. rated Dela Paz with 98.5 percent work accomplishment. The governor noted that Dela Paz, during his two-year stint, was able to neutralize criminality in the province that include the guns for hire, cattle rustlers, illegal drugs, illegal gambling and also illegal fishing.
Thus, Tupas gave the same mandate to Gumban: to neutralize criminality in the province.
Meanwhile, Dela Paz will be assigned to a more sensitive position at PNP Regional Office at Camp Martin Delgado according to PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas.
It may be recalled that Gumban has served as director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-6 some years back.