Cop chief to be relieved
From Cadiz, Franco says
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Negros Occidental police director, Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, yesterday said he will relieve Chief Inspector Jefferson Descallar as police chief of Cadiz City, effective tomorrow, to enable the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency to investigate him and eight other policemen for the alleged delay in the prosecution of drug cases.

Franco, however, said Descallar will be returned to his position if he is cleared by the Cadiz City Prosecutor's Office of the complaints against him for violation of Section 92 of RA 9165.

Mayor Salvador Escalante batted for Descallar, saying he is doing his job well in Cadiz City, as indicated by the award to be received by his unit as best city police station in community relations for 2007, after besting more than 1,000 police stations all over the country.

2 Bacolod
policemen transferred
BY PATRICK PANGILINAN

Two Bacolod City Police officers were relieved from their posts Friday for allegedly protecting illegal drugs and gambling operations in a barangay in Bacolod, City police director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, said yesterday.

Quebrar said that he ordered the relief of Police Station 2 officers SPO2 Carlos Sombria and PO1 Felixberto Arsenal "for the good of the service" because of allegations that they are acting as "protectors" of prohibited drugs and gambling personalities in Purok Sigay, Brgy. 2.

Both are now assigned at the BCPO City Mobile Group as the city police's Investigation and Intelligence Branch continues its inquiry on the reports against them, Quebrar added.

P400M gov't
center loan ok'd
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The Philippine National Bank Board approved Friday the P400 million loan of Bacolod City for the construction of the City Government Center, Councilor Al Victor Espino said yesterday.

Espino, chairman of the Committee on Finance and Appropriations, said they are expecting the loan to be the released by August 15 once the city has complied with the pre-release requirement of PNB.

Hilmarcs Construction Corp. project engineer Perry Miranda said they have accomplished about 30 percent of the work and hope to complete the project in April or May next year.