By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA
MANILA — Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido is back in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental on Thursday after a brief stint in Calbayog City, Samar.
In an order dated Nov. 29, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde, said Espenido was relieved from Police Regional Office (PRO) 8 and reassigned to PRO 10 effective on Thursday (Nov. 29).
Prior to his assignment in Samar, Espenido was also assigned as chief of police in Virac, Catanduanes.
Espenido’s reassignment came following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s message during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ozamiz Airport Modernization Project in Ozamiz City where he pronounced that he wanted the police officer back in the city.
“The commander in chief has the authority under the law to deploy anyone from the uniformed service, the AFP and PNP anywhere in the country and this exercise of authority, the ultimate goal is to serve the best interest of the citizens,” PNP Spokesperson, Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. told reporters in press briefing on Thursday.
Espenido was the chief of police in Albuera, Leyte when the town’s then Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was a drug suspect, was shot dead inside the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City in 2016.
He was transferred to Ozamiz City the following year where then Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 14 others linked to illegal drugs were killed during a shoot-out in a pre-dawn raid.
“So, I have just received information from the directorate for personnel and records management that they have already issued the order of Espenido back to Ozamiz City,” Durana said.
Durana said that during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Ozamiz Airport Modernization Project in Ozamiz City, Duterte asked the crowd if they wanted Espenido back. The crowd cheered and applauded in response.
“He is now the President of the entire population of our country and from the context why he ordered the reassignment of Espenido back to Ozamiz City because of the call of the citizens.
It’s just an exercise of serving the needs and expectations of your constituents, particularly in Ozamiz City. So that’s the main reason why Espenido was reassigned back to Ozamiz,” Durana explained.
