PNP chief Carlos relieves entire Pilar, Abra police force

Philippine National Police chief Police General Dionardo Carlos ordered Wednesday the relief of the entire personnel of Pilar, Abra municipal police station upon the recommendation of the Commission on Elections.

“Sa Pilar, Abra, I just texted the regional director si (Police Brigadier) General Ronald Lee that effective immediately we will remove all the Pilar, Abra MPS personnel and immediately be replaced. I will be seeing Ronald Lee this afternoon,” Carlos said during a joint press conference with Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan.

He said police personnel from the Regional Mobile Force will be deployed to replace the relieved police officers.

"Actually that police station will have about 20-30 personnel, madali naman i-replace 'yan and 'yung personnel na ipapalit natin knows the area. Normally coming from the Regional Mobile Force or somebody who has been assigned before in the town of Pilar. So hindi po magiging problema 'yan. We can immediately adjust," said Carlos.

In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said personnel from the Special Action Force will also be sent to Pilar, Abra.

"Maliban sa pagpapalit ng ibang tauhan sa Pilar, Abra, maglalagay ng additional personnel from Special Action Force at dadagdagan po natin ito ng Regional Mobile Force from Cordillera para masiguro na hindi mage-escalate ang gulo," she said.

Pangarungan made the recommendation after placing Pilar, Abra under Comelec control.

He said he received confidential reports from CAR regional election director Ederlino Tabilas and petition of the local government regarding the supposed bias of the Pilar, Abra police and threats and intimidation received by supporters of certain candidates.

"Dahil sa mga (Because of) threats and intimidation by private armed groups to certain candidates in Pilar, Abra. Pati ‘yung mga mayor, vice mayor, mga councilor e halos nagtatago na sila (Even the mayor, vice mayor, and councilors were hiding) because they feel that they cannot be protected by the local police detachment of Pilar and all these concerns as confirmed to be by the regional election director, I declared Pilar under Comelec control using my emergency power,” Pangarungan said.

“Ang (The) recommendation is to relieve the entire police force of Pilar and that would include the chief of police. B’asta palitan yung entire police detachment para magkaroon tayo ng peaceful, orderly, and honest elections,” he added.

Last week, the National Bureau of Investigation filed complaints for murder before the Department of Justice against top police officials in the Cordillera Autonomous Region and Abra in connection with the shooting incident that led to the killing of a bodyguard of Pilar Vice Mayor Jaja Josefina Somera Disono in March.—AOL, GMA News