Entire 47 Talavera PNP in Ecija sacked after the slaying of top cop

By Jason de Asis

TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija, January 13, 2011–The entire 47 man police force of the Talavera police was relieved from their posts by the regional director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) more than a week after its station commander was gunned down by his drunken deputy in front of the police station here.

Chief Supt. Alan La Madrid Purisima, PNP regional director in central Luzon replaced the Talavera police force with an equal number of lawmen from the Provincial Public Safety Company under Supt. Edgar Allan Okubo.

The relief of the Talavera police came more than a week after its drunken deputy chief, Inspector Bernardo Castro shot and killed his chief, Supt. Ricardo Dayag Jr. after the latter tried to disarm him when he fired his service pistol indiscriminately in front of the police station past 8 pm last January 1.

As he fell on the pavement, Castro allegedly pumped more bullets on his back, pulled out another gun and finished him off.

Dayag, 46, was the former police commander of Guimba town before he was designated as police chief here four months ago. Castro is now in jail facing criminal and administrative charges.

The relieved lawmen are also being investigated for failing to come to the rescue of their fallen superior.

Supt. Eduardo Soriano, deputy provincial director for administration, acting on orders of provincial director Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, designated Chief Inspector Cirilo Acosta as officer-in-charge effective January 9. Castro’s place was taken over by Inspector Rommel dela Vega.

Supt. Pedro Soliba, chief of the provincial personnel and human resource development branch also assigned at the Talavera PNP were a police sergeant, two police officers with the rank of PO3, 14 police officers with ranks of PO2 and 29 police officers ranked PO 1.

A police official, however, downplayed the relief of the Talavera police, saying they would undergo a week-long basic retraining course ordered by PNP Chief, Director General Raul Bacalzo to further improve the organization.

PNP spokesman, Chief supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. said members of the Talavera PNP were part of nearly 700 policemen comprising the first batch of officers set to undergo the retraining.

A refresher and training course to all members of the police force in Central Luzon is currently being conducted at Clarkfield, Pampanga together with the police officer in the National Capital Region (NCR) and CALABARZON.

This is in envisioned to further enhance knowledge and skills of the police in various aspects of police work whose primarily role is to serve and protect the people, adding   that the PNP-School for Values and Leadership training was formulated to help officers for the betterment of the service to God, country and people.

After the Philippine Constabulary and the Integrated National Police were abolished, the PNP was created by virtue of the Republic Act 6975, which is known as the Deprtment of Interior and Local Government Act of 1990 on January 29, 1991. (Jason de Asis)