By Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA
DUMAGUETE CITY — Police chiefs in the different towns and cities of Negros Oriental have been reshuffled while other commissioned and non-commissioned police officers were also assigned elsewhere in time for the conduct of the May 13 mid-term elections.
Senior Supt. Raul Tacaca, Negros Oriental provincial police director, explained Monday that the move is to ensure that no personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the province will engage in partisan politics.
“Nangyayari ito sa buong region, sa Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor at Negros (Oriental) at kasama ito sa preparation para sa election (the reshuffle is for the entire region (Central Visayas) including Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Negros Oriental as part of our preparation for the election),” he said.
SPO3 Edilberto Euraoba, Public Information Officer of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (NOPPO), said the first command conference with the police chiefs is set on Wednesday, January 16.
The reshuffling took effect on January 1 (Saturday) or a day before the start of the election period, along with several prohibitions such as the gun ban and movement of government personnel.
Among those covered by the change of command is Supt. Jonathan Pineda, the police chief of Dumaguete City, the capital of Negros Oriental.
Pineda is now detailed at the NOPPO as acting Chief of Operations. He was replaced by Supt. Gregorio Galsim.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Election Supervisor of Negros Oriental, lawyer Eddie Aba, has been assigned to Bohol for the coming polls.
Aba swapped places with lawyer Eliseo Labaria of Bohol. According to him, their transfer was effective December 28, 2018.
