Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Kalinga police: Torn between 2 Regions

TABUK CITY, Kalinga - The implementation of General Order DPL 09-11 issued a month ago by then Philippine National Police Director General Oscar Calderon placing the police commands of Kalinga and Apayao under the control and supervision of Police Regional Office 2 (PR02) has put the two commands in a confusing situation.

That's because instead of fully transferring control of the two police forces to PR02, the police authorities of PR02 and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region (PROCAR) have decided that only the operations of the Kalinga and Apayao commands be transferred to PR02 while the administration will remain with PROCAR.

Kalinga OIC-Provincial Director Florante Camuyot told the media that he gathered during a PROCAR police command conference last week that the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership is hesitant to fully implement the general order because of the threat of being charged administratively and criminally for undermining Executive Order 220 which created the CAR.

He identified the local officials of the region and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines as the groups poised to file the charges against the PNP lead­ership on account of the general order.

Camuyot said that with both regional offices issuing direct orders to the two police commands, "there is confusion sometimes."

He cited the case of the security preparations for the coming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections where he has to deal with the PROCAR for financial support and with PRO2 for troop augmentation.

Camuyot also said that their gas allowance which is not much to begin with is also being affected by the situation because he has to attend command conferences in both regions.

"There are a lot of work where we need the assistance of a boss. We do not know whom to turn to now," he said.

Camuyot expressed the wish that the issue under which region the Kalinga and Apayao police would be finally placed should be resolved at the soonest possible time "for us to know our real boss and to remove the confusion."

Camuyot also said that with the Kalinga LGU vehemently opposed to the transfer of control and supervision of the Kalinga police to PR02, some of the command's activities have been hampered.

He cited the directive of PR02 for the conduct of a command conference regarding the deputation of tanods and auxiliary units in the province but he is hesitant to set it up because he doubts it will be productive considering the non-acceptance of Kalinga officials of the general order.

He added the Kalinga government expressed Willingness to give some fund for physical improvements in Camp Juan Duyan, the police headquarters here, but since the issuance of the general order, he noticed that the local officials are no longer as keen on pushing through with the project. **By Estanislao Albano, Jr., Zigzag Weekly, Oct. 14, 2007

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