Guv files TRO petition vs. Chan
LINGAYEN–Gov. Amado Espino Jr. filed last Friday a motion for a temporary restraining order against the appointment of Police Sr. Supt. Marlou Chan as the Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial director of Pangasinan.
The petition filed before the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen further seeks that a preliminary injunction be eventually made permanent, citing that Chan’s appointment should be declared “unlawful” and that he “should be ousted from the position”.
Espino filed his petition for TRO pursuant to Section 51 of Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990, which provides that the incumbent governor is granted the right to choose among three eligible officers recommended to the position of PNP police provincial director.
Chan was designated as officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan police office last December 2012 and should have expired last May 10, 2013.
However, Chan was apparently given permanent appointment by the police chain of command effective May 10, a decision that was not communicated to the provincial government. (See related story on provincial board tackles Chan)
The petition noted that Chan was secretly appointed in full capacity as police provincial director “in gross violation” of the PNP laws and Commission on Elections (Comelec) rules.
The complaint filed under civil case 19270 states that several complaints were raised by local leaders regarding Chan’s inefficiency and alleged obvious bias towards specific candidates during the May 13 elections.
A manifesto for a change in the PNP leadership was signed earlier by majority of the Pangasinan mayors and provincial board members, citing 23 documented shooting incidents in the province as of last March, most of which, according to the petition, remain unsolved.
Current records show that there are 80 shooting incidents so far that remain unsolved.
The complaint also alleged that majority of the municipal police chiefs in the province were relieved by Chan for no justifiable reasons, and without prior notices or advisories to the affected mayors.
During the May 13 elections, Chan was criticized for apparent partisan politics in handling election-related issues owing to his alleged kinship with a mayoralty candidate in Eastern Pangasinan, and alliances with some other candidates in the province.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
