CATBALOGAN, Samar – The removal of Samar Provincial Police Chief Arcadio Lelis from his
post, has again caused an undoubted speculation that politics has
again creped into the police hierarchy, this after Cong. Reynaldo Uy
publicly announced that he will “definitely” worked for the relief of
the police chief and other police personnel who got entangled with the
“bantay-dagat” issue on February this year (news).
PSSupt. Lelis was
relieved from his post effective June 1, this year with PSSupt. Ashdali
Idja Abah taking the rank as the new Samar Provincial Police Office (SPPO)
Chief.
History
It can be recalled
that four months ago, Cong. Reynaldo S. Uy of
Samar’s first congressional district deplored the action made by a
composite team of the police and navy, against 8 members of his
“bantay-dagat” program who were patrolling the sea waters of his
district.
The solon
categorically explained that his “bantay-dagat” program is legal and
properly endorsed by the City of Calbayog and some other towns of the
first district thru various resolutions.
Cong. Uy however
denied the allegations of the police about the confiscated firearms,
which the police claims were recovered from the solon’s bantay-dagat
patrol boat.
At least 4 baby
armalites and hundreds of ammunitions were presented by the police to
the media.
As this developed,
Cong. Uy publicly announced that he will use all his influence just to
make sure that the PNP Mobile Group chief in Calbayog City and the
SPPO Director will be relieved.
And just a couple of
weeks after that announcement, Major Pablo Enguerra of the PNP Mobile
Group, was relieved and transferred back to the PNP Mobile Group
Headquarters in Calbiga, Samar, and after three months, this time it is
the SPPO Director PSSupt. Arcadio Lelis leaving his post for a new
assignment at the PNP Regional Headquarters.
No Confirmation
This writer tried to get
in touch with Cong. Uy last week, but the solon cannot be reached.
However, this writer was
able to get in touch with Ms. Elena Montealto, the solon’s chief
political affairs officer, and asked for possible statement if the
solon indeed has something to do with the movement inside the PNP,
particularly the reliefs of Maj.Enguerra and PSSupt. Lelis.
But as of this
writing, Ms. Montealto has no reply yet to the media request.
Meanwhile, an insider
from the PNP who requested anonymity revealed that the relief of
PSSupt. Lelis was allegedly influenced by Cong. Uy, relatively because
of the “bantay-dagat” issue last February.
According to the
informant, the PNP region has to make all the necessary cover-ups to
make it appear that the recent movement of PSSupt. Lelis is a
promotion, “Ganun pa rin naman ang ranggo niya, and besides yung bagong
position niya, e para siyang nakakulong, although chief of staff nga
siya ng region wala naman siyang territorial command, hindi gaya ng
mga provincial directors”, the informant revealed.
“Yan ang tinatawag
namin dito na – you are kicked upward, besides ang pagkaka-alam ko,
nag-donate si Cong. Uy ng dalawang laptop computers sa region”, added
the police insider.
No Politics
On the other hand,
PSSupt. Lelis clarified to the media that there was no truth of the
alleged political maneuverings on his transfer to the PRO 8 as Chief
of Staff.
He disclosed that it
was his decision to accept the offer in preparation for his retirement
in two years time, “Promotion sa akin iyon, and besides ayoko rin naman
na mag-retire ako na hanggang provincial director lang ang naabot ko”,
he told, but added that his new position will somehow relieve him of
various pressures of his work as the former SPPO chief.
Likewise, incoming
SPPO chief PSSupt. Abah denied that politics has something to do with
PSSupt. Lelis’s transfer disclosing further that the said post at the
PRO 8 could have been his, “Pero dahil nga sa mas senior si PSSupt.
Lelis kesa sa akin, mas akma sa kanya ang posisyon na iyon”, he
concluded.
