LINGAYEN–Senior Superintendent Isagani Nerez has clarified that there is nothing unusual in the leave of absence of the chief of police of Dagupan, saying the officer personally requested for it and his sick leave is good for only five days.

Nerez said speculations insinuating that House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. may have had a hand in the removal of Superintendent Edgar Basbas are unfounded.

Speaker De Venecia’s campaign headquarters issued a rejoinder saying that the relief or leave of police officers is an internal matter of the Philippine National Police.

Since Basbas’ leave on Friday, Superintendent Mateo Casupang, deputy chief of police, took over as officer-in-charge to ensure continuity of police operations.

Fueled by some radiomen, the speculation that De Venecia might have had a hand in Basbas’ ‘forced leave’ continues even when Basbas himself went on radio admitting that he is undergoing an annual executive check-up.

Promising that Basbas will be back soon as chief of police of Dagupan, Nerez admitted that it is standard operating procedure that complaints of politicians against a chief of police who they perceive to be partisan, are immediately investigated to protect officers in the field.—LM.

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