The regional office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG 7) is reminding the Philippine National Police to uphold professionalism in government service by maintaining neutrality in the face of conflicts that do not involve them.
This was the gist of Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero’s message to Cebu City Police Office chief, Police Colonel Ireneo Dalogdog, and regional operations division chief of the Police Regional Office 7 Police Lieutenant Colonel Eleveo Marquez.
Atty. Lucero is the OIC assistant regional director of DILG 7 and the concurrent provincial director of DILG Cebu Province. He was joined by DILG 7 Legal Officer Atty. Michael Maxino Bandal in the meeting at the Capitol on April 17.
The PNP, a police force that is national in scope and civilian in character, is placed by law under the supervision of DILG.
Gov. Gwen Garcia has called on the attention of the city police personnel, under Col. Dalogdog, for failing to maintain neutrality in at least two instances: first when City Hall personnel, with the PNP, forcibly entered the premises of the Cebu Port Authority Baseport premises near the Malacañang sa Sugbo area on April 1; as well as in the “take over” of the MCWD Building by LWUA on April 15.
Col. Dalogdog promised the governor that he and his men will only obey lawful orders from duly constituted authorities, and that the PNP is fully committed to professionalism in service.
The call of police neutrality in current issues hounding Cebu also echoes the directive of PRO 7 director Brigadier General Anthony Aberin. | SN