Cop chief offfers to quit over gov's nab

CABANATUAN CITY – Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, former provincial director of the Philippine National Police in Nueva Ecija, offered to quit his post over grumblings of Gov. Aurelio Umali who kept nagging PNP Chief Avelino Razon Jr. for his relief.

A source said Taas was not relieved from his post contrary to reports but offered to be relieved because Umali kept badgering Razon for him to be replaced.

“Sumbong ng sumbong si Gov. Umali kay Chief PNP kaya minabuti na lang ni Col. Taas na umalis na lang (Gov. Umali kept on reporting to Chief PNP so Col. Taas deemed it wise to just go out),” the source who was privy to the eveNts leading to Taas’ relief, revealed. The source said Razon tried to convince Taas to stay put.

“Hangga’t ako ang Chief PNP ’di ka maaalis diyan (For as long as I am the Chief PNP, you won’t be removed in your post),” the source quoted Razon as telling Taas but the latter politely refused.

The source added Taas consoled himself by saying he had served the province for a minimum of six months which, he said, was enough.

Taas’ decision to quit the provincial directorship was bared after local businessmen in the province lamented his relief, and asked Razon to explain the move.

Earlier, Nueva Ecija Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Kenny Bansale said Taas’ relief was unjustified since he had advanced Razon’s Mamang Pulis program in the province, brought down the crime volume and introduced innovations never before achieved by his predecessors.

Because of this, Bansale, said, the morale of police personnel was high and the business community in the province achieved peace of mind.

The source said before Taas was relieved, Razon had dinner with Umali and asked the latter why he kept asking for the police official’s relief.

The governor failed to come up with a logical explanation.

A few weeks back, Umali, the provincial chairman of the ruling Lakas-CMD, also reportedly asked President Arroyo to have Taas relieved for which the latter reportedly replied: “Bakit hindi ba nagtatrabaho ang PD mo (Why, is your PD not doing his job)?”

Umali acknowledged to the President that Taas was doing his job. Earlier, the provincial Chamber of Commerce was reported as having urged chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. to explain the sudden removal of Taas whose performance was rated satisfactory by a high-ranking police official in Central Luzon.