Go dump them elsewhere!

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

No matter what justifications the ranking officials of the Philippine National Police in the Region may give, there does not seem to be any way in which local executives as well as the general public can perceive their decision to transfer the 17 policemen from Guimaras and Iloilo to various towns and cities of Negros Occidental, but as an attempt to “dump” them in the province.

Even the reason being given by the Region 6 Police Director that these policemen have not been charged with anything yet, does not, and should not allay the apprehensions of officials, like Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco, about the propriety of farming them out to other provinces.

Police Director of Region 6, Isagani Cuevas has himself admitted that the relief of the 17 cops had been recommended by their own commanders, for various questionable activities. So why have they not investigated what they have belittled as “rumors” to, once and for all, determine if, indeed, the policemen have committed infractions of rules or, worse, violated some laws, and punish or clear them, as the case may be?

The statement attributed to Cuevas that they just want the cops to improve their performance is not worthy of his position. Do they believe those cops have committed violations or engaged in improper activities or not?

As for the statement attributed to Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, Negros Occidental police provincial director, that the issue had been “blown out of proportion”, we invite him to review the innumerable cases recorded all over  the country of policemen involved in all sorts of illegal activities, from smuggling to kidnapping, to petty thefts, and drug peddling. Aren’t they enough to terrify peace-loving residents of this province, who may imagine themselves dealing with policemen of questionable records, and who are unfamiliar to them, suddenly sprung into their midst?

It is regrettable that our highest police officials in the region seem to have a very simplistic way of dealing with their problematic members. Officials, as well as residents of all local governments concerned should stand up and make their sentiments about this known to the top hierarchy of the country’s Police. If dumping is their way of solving personnel problems, let them do it somewhere else.*