Gov. Isidro Zayco yesterday asked Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, to initiate the recall of 12 policemen who have been transferred to Negros Occidental after being relieved from their posts in Iloilo and Guimaras for allegedly being ineffective and linked to illegal activities.

Zayco last night said he called Franco to recommend the recall of the 12 policemen back to their units as they might cause problems in Negros Occidental.

“If the rumors against the 12 policemen are true, that will make a big difference in our safety,” Zayco told Franco.

The governor said he is sending a formal request to the police today for the recall of the 12 policemen from Negros Occidental.

Earlier yesterday, Franco has appealed to give the 12 policemen a chance.

Zayco and Board Member Nehemias de la Cruz have both said Negros Occidental should not be made a dumping ground for policemen facing complaints.

Board Member Renato Gustilo, chairperson of the Committee on Peace and Order of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan, yesterday said it is an “insult” to make the province a dumping ground of police scalawags, from other areas.

The 12 policemen were assigned to various city and municipal police stations, last week.

Gustilo said the police hierarchy should file cases against them, and not merely re-assign them to other areas, if evidence warrants that they are engaged in illegal activities.

Chief Supt. Isagani Cuevas, police regional director, said change of assignment for “effective” policemen is part of the transformation program of the PNP.

Cuevas said that, due to lack of evidence, no case has been established against the cops who were being assigned to Negros Occidental.

What these policemen need is a “reformation” to make them effective in implementing the laws and in the maintenance of peace and order, he added.

Six of the 12 newly-assigned policemen in Negros Occidental have already reported to Franco, to avoid being marked AWOL (absent-without-leave).

Franco said he had not been informed about an alleged involvement of 12 policemen in illegal activities, although he welcomed their re-assignment to Negros Occidental.*CPG/GPB

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