CEBU CITY — Amid the security preparations for the Sinulog, Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino was relieved from his post as Provincial Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) director in Central Visayas effective Thursday.
Reasons for the relief were not stated in the order from Camp Crame except that Espino was among the 12 Philippine National Police (PNP) officials reassigned to other posts.
The relief order came from Camp Crame and copies were distributed to some members of the local media.
According to the order issued by Director Rene Aspera of the Personnel and Records Management in Camp Crame, Espino is reassigned to PRO-10 in Northern Mindanao, while Chief Superintendent Robert Guzman Quenery of PRO-2 is now designated as the new PRO-7 director.
Among the other PNP officials included in the reshuffling is Human Resource Development Director Noli Taliño, who will now head the Special Action Force. Taliño once served as PRO-7 chief.
Espino was not available for comment as he was still presiding over the meeting of police officials in preparation for the Sinulog Grand Parade and Mardi Gras when the order was received by the PRO-7.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, meanwhile, expressed surprise over the relief of Espino, saying he had not received any derogatory reports against the PRO-7 chief other than the rumors that the regional director had been allegedly asking payola from illegal gambling operators.
“I have no derogatory reports about him (Espino), except this ‘tsismis’ which I don’t believe,” Osmeña said.
Directorate for Integrated Police Operation in Visayas chief Rolando Felix, on the other hand, said the reshuffling of officials is normal practice in the PNP.
“This is just a routine reshuffling,” Felix said. (PNA)
