Vizcaya mayors defy relief order vs prov’l PNP chief

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The 15-member local mayors’ league said it will hold the Philippine National Police “morally responsible” for the possible breakdown of peace and order in the province should it proceed in relieving Senior Supt. Segundo Duran Jr. as provincial police director.

Mayor Benjamin Cuaresma III of Bambang town said Wednesday they have passed a “manifesto” addressed to the PNP hierarchy seeking the retention of Duran, who is the subject of a relief order dated Jan. 16 from the regional police office reportedly on orders of Camp Crame.

In the manifesto, the mayors cited Duran’s firm hand in fighting all sorts of criminality in the province, especially the illegal drug trade. “Nowhere can this be more true than in my town of Bambang where the drug situation was becoming worse before Col. Duran took over as provincial director.

We thus said in our manifesto that we find the police hierarchy morally liable if the crime situation in the province deteriorates,” Cuaresma said. The provincial government led by Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma questioned the order for Duran’s relief by filing a petition for temporary restraining order and injunction before the local regional trial court.

The court, after initially granting a 72-hour TRO, subsequently denied the provincial government’s request for an extension of the TRO and its subsequent motion for reconsideration. “We are not interfering with the PNP prerogative to select its official. We are only asserting the right of the local government in the selection of its police director.

Besides, I can’t find any reason for the relief of Col. Duran who has been doing a good job,” she said. Duran, who is set to retire in November this year, is still staying on at the provincial police office in a holdover capacity pending the court’s decision on the provincial government’s petition for injunction.

This, despite the move of the regional police office based in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, designating his deputy, Supt. Domingo Lucas, as officer-in-charge. The relief order for Duran, who was assigned to the province in July last year, and the subsequent developments, meanwhile, reportedly caused confusion among local police officers and personnel.

Gov. Cuaresma described Duran’s relief order as unceremonious and doubtful in nature, since the police official has been doing an excellent job of curbing criminality and keeping the peace and order. Earlier, the provincial board led by Vice Gov. Jose Gambito passed a resolution expressing its total support for Duran’s retention.

Rep. Carlos Padilla said he could not see any reason why Duran was relieved from his post. Other organizations such as the Nueva Vizcaya Furniture Association and Nueva Vizcaya Police Retirees Association have joined the Nueva Vizcaya Rebel Returnees Association in picketing the residence of Bishop Ramon Villena to seek his intercession for Duran’s retention.

Earlier, Chief Supt. Ameto Tolentino, Cagayan Valley police director, said while they acknowledge Duran’s accomplishments, they were merely carrying out orders from “higher authorities” and that Duran’s relief was part of the “normal movement” of police officers in the service.

The animosity between the provincial government and the regional police office involving the relief of Duran took another turn on Feb. 4 as the latter ordered the police official to vacate his post while the former filed another case before the court to contest the relief order.

In a memorandum received here Feb. 4, Tolentino ordered Duran to “cease and desist from exercising the duties and functions of provincial director.” At the same time, the order, dated Feb. 1, directed Duran “to report to this regional (police) office (based in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan) effective immediately.

Tolentino cited earlier denial of the court here of the extension of the temporary restraining order (TRO) and the motion for reconsideration filed by the provincial government in its effort to keep Duran as provincial police director as basis for his order, which he said was also “pursuant to General Order 04 issued by this office on Jan. 16,” terminating the police official’s tour of duty here.
In Duran’s relief order last month, the regional police office also designated his deputy, Supt. Domingo Lucas as officer-in-charge of the provincial police office here.

Tolentino’s memorandum yesterday Feb. 4 came amid the provincial government’s filing for certiorari with an amended petition, further asserting as well as fortifying its claim over the right of the local government unit in the termination as well as selection of its provincial director. The certiorari and injunction filed by the provincial government seeks to prevent the police regional office in its implementation of Duran’s relief order.

This time, the provincial government, with Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma as petitioner, included Philippine National Police Chief Director-General Avelino Razon Jr. as one of the respondents with Tolentino in its case. Duran, as the affected personality, also joined the provincial government as petitioner against the two high-ranking police officials.

Legal advisers for Duran led by lawyer Joel Baquiran advised Duran to hold on to his post, as provincial director until all legal remedies, shall have been exhausted amid Tolentino’s order for him to vacate his position. -- CL