Iloilo City’s top cop welcomes ICPO overhaul
CuevasIloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Senior Supt. Melvin Mongcal welcomed the decision of the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional command to replace all the chiefs of the six district police stations in the city.
Mongcal said they respect whatever is the decision of Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas because it is for the good of the public in general.
Cuevas earlier said that he will be replacing all the chiefs of the six district police stations in the city since they were found to be lax in their performance causing a barrage of criminalities in the city the past few months. He added that some of the police chiefs are already overstaying.
Police chiefs are supposed to have a maximum tour of duty of only two years.
MongcalCuevas also noted that the city police chiefs do not implement the 7-9-7 scheme that he imposed on them since he assumed as ICPO director February last year.
The 7-9-7 scheme means the first shift starts at 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., second shift from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the third or last shift from 7 p.m. to 7 am.
Cuevas said the 7-9-7 scheme ensures police presence at the police stations and other police posts 24 hours every day. It also cures the common practice in police stations to have 3 days duty and 2 days off which, he said, is unproductive.
Cuevas also observed that some of the police chiefs failed to conduct a daily accounting of their personnel to ensure that they are on their posts during their duty hours.
Cuevas said this was proven when they conducted a “surprise inspection” at the Jaro police station last Sunday where only four policemen were present at the station.
Cuevas said the police chief and his deputy were not around and one of the four policemen present was even wearing shorts.
The six district police chiefs that will be replaced are: Chief Insp. Conrado Carganillo (City Proper), Senior Insp. Orly Gabinete (Jaro), Senior Insp. Alexander Rosales (La Paz), Insp. Eliezer Baclagon (Mandurriao), Senior Insp. Danilo de los Santos (Molo) and Senior Insp. Federico Silvestre Jr. (Arevalo).
Cuevas said their replacements are currently being chosen from among the officials from the Regional Mobile Group and other PNP units, while they will be temporarily assigned at PRO 6 headquarters.
Meanwhile, Chief Insp. Carganillo of the City Proper police station said he welcomes the decision of the PNP regional chief. He admitted that he is already overstaying as police chief of the City Proper though he said that during his stint he has done his best in the performance of his duties.
Insp. Baclagon of the Mandurriao police station on his part said that as good subordinates they will obey whatever is the decision of their superior.