BAGUIO CITY – The City Council issued a stern warning against officials of the Police Regional Office (PRO-COR) in the Cordillera to appear before its regular session on March 20, 2017, to shed light on the controversial transfer of SPO3 Alberto C. Tadeo, a traffic officer of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), to Apayao.
The local legislative body made it clear to PRO-COR Regional Director Chief Superintendent Elmo Francis Sarona, Deputy Regional Director for Administration Senior Superintendent Gregorio M. Lim and Deputy Regional Director Senior Superintendent Angelito A. Casimiro as well as PO3 Joseph Canlas, Lim’s alleged security escort, that it will be their last chance to appear before its regular session on March 20, 2017 in deference to their separate letters requesting for the second re-scheduling of their supposed appearance last Monday due to their claim they are attending equally important concerns.
The members agreed that the second re-setting of their appearance would be the last and they should not be blamed once they take action against the erring police officials who seem not to honor the supervision and control of the local government over the local police force.
However, Camp Dangwa insiders revealed Lim and Casimiro were allegedly in the regoinal headquarters during their supposed appearance before the council while Sarona was on his way back to the regional command after attending an emergency meeting in Camp Crame.
The council agreed to the request of Lim and Casimiro to address the invitation letter to their superior who will be the one to cascade the order to them.
Some councilors asserted the action of Lim’s driver and security escort to bring to the city a vehicle that violated the city’s number coding scheme is a direct affront to the existing laws and regulations which the police themselves have to strictly implement, thus, the continuous defiance of the police officials to appear before the local legislative body is a grave act because the law enforcers are now becoming the law breakers.
Instead of declaring Lim as persona non grata, some local legislators claim the decision to revive the withdrawn proposal will depend on the police official honoring the invitation as iy is possible to include all to be declared persona non grata once the resolution will be revived.
Even if the council was informed that Tadeo was already reassigned to the regional personnel holding and accounting office, it did not serve as a determent in giving the erring police officials the last chance to appear before them to answer simple questions that arose after the controversial case.
By Dexter A. See
