PRO-6 still bent on making Golingay next Capiz PNP chief
Last January 11, the temporary restraining order for the relief of Senior Supt. Josephus Angan as director of the Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO) has lapsed.
But in as much as the PNP hierarchy wanted to install Angan’s successor, Senior Supt. Primo Golingay, it is bounded by the election period, which thereby prohibits the movement of government personnel.
“It is within the authority of the Commission on Elections to approve appointments of provincial director based on Comelec Resolution but if there are words from the Comelec and there is no any other order, we would install Senior Supt. Golingay,” said PNP regional director Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas.
However, “if there is still another TRO, we will follow the court order. We will conform with the regulations,” he added.
Cuevas said that he already communicated with Comelec regional director Atty. Dennis Ausan about Angan’s relief and Golingay’s appointment.
Ausan allegedly said that the Comelec regional office will forward to the national Comelec Law Department the request for the latter’s perusal.
According to Cuevas, when the TRO lapsed, they sent the PNP legal officer to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Roxas City to discuss the matter.
The other day, Golingay reported to Cuevas. In the interim, he is deemed assigned at the PRO-6 regional office.
No tainted relationship
Despite the perceived conflict between the PNP and the Capiz provincial government, Cuevas believed that they still have a “good relationship.”
“Wala namang poblema sa relationship. The relationship should be based on what is legal, what is lawful. If what we did is within the bounds of law, there is nothing wrong with the relationship,” he added.
Cuevas further claimed that the relationship is not good if it emanates from unlawful order.
“And what we have emanates from what is lawful. And I think, nothing is wrong about it,” he added.
TRO
To note, the Capiz provincial government asked the Regional Trial Court (RTC) VI in Roxas City to nullify the replacement of the police provincial director in Capiz, one of the provinces affected by the police reshuffling.
In response, Roxas RTC Executive Judge Edward B. Contreras issued a temporary restraining order last Friday on Angan’s relief and the subsequent assumption to office of his successor, Senior Supt. Primo Golingay, or any other PNP officer.
Among others, Capiz Governor Victor Tanco questioned why he was not allegedly consulted when Angan was relieved.
But Cuevas pointed out that the relief of a provincial police director is not covered with the local chief executive’s control and supervision over the local PNP.
Under Republic Act 6975, the local chief executive’s discretion is on the selection but not on the relief.
Still, “On the selection, if a local police chief will be sitting on an OIC capacity, they still have no prerogative over it,” Cuevas explained.
But if it is on the regular provincial director, a government is allowed to select among three candidates forwarded by the PNP, the region’s top cop added.
