Capiz Wins vs DILG Over Transfer of Police Directors

RTC Issues Permanent Injunction Against The Transfer

The Capiz provincial government has scored a major victory over the Arroyo Administration’s harassment tactics after the Roxas City regional trial court permanently barred the replacement of its current police provincial director.

　Judge Edward B. Contreras of Branch 17 of the Roxas City 6th Judicial Region issued a permanent injunction that stops the Department of Interior and Local Government and the leadership of the Philippine National Police from replacing Capiz Police Provincial Director PSSUPT Josephus Angan with a police official that did not go through consultation with and approval of the provincial government.

　Judge Contreras also ordered Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and the PNP Director General Jesus Versoza to stop the installation of PSSUPT Primo Golingay or any other police official to replace Angan as the new provincial PNP director.

"It is hereby ordered, enjoining the respondents, their agents, representative and person/persons acting for and in their behalf to cease, desist and refrain from relieving the present provincial director (Angan) as provincial director of the (PNP), province of Capiz and respondent (Golingay) is hereby enjoined from assuming the post of the Provincial Director in Capiz Police Provincial Office or any person or any PNP officer acting upon the order of his higher superiors," stated Contreras’ two-page decision dated January 28.

　Capiz Gov. Victor A. Tanco hailed the decision and vowed not to yield to any harassment tactics that the Arroyo Administration and its allies will do to sabotage the much expected opposition victory in the May 10 national and local elections.

　Tanco asked Puno and Versoza to honor the court’s ruling and not rebuff or ignore it, as they have done in totally ignoring a court restraining order secured by the Cavite provincial government against a similar DILG order replacing its provincial PNP director that also did not go through the consultation and approval process with the local government.

　In Cavite, Puno and Versoza proceeded with the replacement of Cavite Provincial PNP head Senior Superintendent Alfred S. Corpuz despite a temporary restraining order issued by the Cavite regional trial court.

　The Liberal Party has condemned the untimely revamp of local police chiefs without the knowledge of local executives as a prelude of a sinister plot by the Arroyo Administration to per-petrate massive cheating in the 2010 national elections.

LP Secretary General Cavite Rep. Joseph E.A. Abaya had earlier revealed the names affected by the reshuffle, which took effect on January 7.

　Aside from the illegal revamp of provincial police directors, LP executives have also slammed Malacañang for resorting to arm-twisting to harass local officials allied with the Liberal Party.　

　It noted the late decision of COMELEC 2nd Division on the sham recount cases against Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza and Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca.

　Another LP leader, Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio, is expecting a similar decision against him on a recount case filed by his 2007 opponent Lilia Pineda. /MP