DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental – The “changing of the guards” of the Negros Oriental Philippine National Police (PNP) Provincial Office (NORPPO) took place Thursday morning without the usual fanfare.
And instead of holding normally at the NORPPO headquarters at Camp Francisco Fernandez, Jr. in Barangay Agan-an, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, it was held at the PNP Regional Office 7 (PRO-7) at Camp Sergio Osmeña, Cebu City, said Region 7 PNP director Chief Supt. Robert Quenery in a telephone interview.
Senior Supt. Edwin Portento relinquished his post as acting Negros Oriental provincial police director to his successor, Senior Supt. Raul Tacaca in a simple turnover ceremony, said Quenery.
“Wala nang turnover pa dyan sa Negros Oriental ( There will be no more turnover there in Negros Oriental) and he (Tacaca) will assume his post immediately,” Quenery said.
He said that Portento’s relief and Tacaca’s appointment as acting provincial police director of Negros Oriental were issued by the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City and were effective May 8, 2018.
Asked regarding the reason for the sudden relief of Portento, Quenery admitted he was “not privy” to it, saying it was Camp Crame who issued the orders.
“It was a recommendation from the oversight committee and I don’t know (why), the orders just came out,” he said.
Portento had served Negros Oriental for about eight months prior to his relief.
Quenery also noted that despite a ban in the movement of government personnel during the election period, the Comelec had approved the relief and appointment of Portento and Tacaca, respectively.
In reaction to Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo’s statement that he was not satisfied with Portento’s handling of the murder case of broadcast journalist Edmund Sestoso, the PRO-7 regional police director explained that the investigation would “take time.”
“It will always depend on the evidence that is gathered by the investigator. Well, apparently, some sectors would presume that this could have been committed by a suspect but still, the investigator should always depend on the evidence at hand,” he pointed out.
If the case is not immediately closed, that is because the evidence may not be sufficient, Quenery added.
Malacañang officials, led by Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence Go, last week arrived in Dumaguete City to visit the wake of the late Edmund Sestoso and to meet with the PNP and other investigating units upon orders of President Rodrigo Duterte to speed up the resolution of the case and to leave no stone unturned.
Tacaca, in a text message Thursday afternoon, said he will arrive in Negros Oriental on Friday.
He was attending the final regional Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council in Cebu City for Monday’s synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan 2018 elections. (Mary Judaline Partlow/PNA)
