- DCPO chief says review on 19 relieved Davao police commanders ongoing
DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) director Col. Hansel Marantan is not closing his doors on possibly recalling the 19 station commanders previously relieved of their posts.
During the sidelines of the 19th Kadayawan Festival send-off ceremony, Marantan told reporters that the final decision hinges on the results of the police investigation. However, he declined to give a timeline for the review.
“It depends on the gravity of the violation,” he said, adding that the law does not apply a blanket punishment.
He also declined to speculate on the number of station commanders who will reclaim their posts.
Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said the relief of 19 station commanders on July 8, 2024, undermined the hard work of the police officers who were only fulfilling their mandate to secure Davao City.
In a statement posted on July 9, 2024, Duterte questioned the order issued by Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Rommel Francisco Marbil and implemented by Police Regional Office (PRO) XI regional director Brig Gen Nicolas Torre.
Recently, Torre III said he would review the petition signed by Davaoeños for the reinstatement of station commanders.
“I will read the petition and see what can be done. The decision to designate or replace commanders depends on several factors, and the final decision will follow a proper process.”
Regarding the reasons for the initial reassignments, Torre explained, “It was an initial decision to examine how we can improve the current setup of the DCPO.”
“The local government has been very supportive but I found areas for improvement. Those who were replaced are still within the Davao region, and those who replaced them are also from Davao City,” he said.
Torre clarified that he brought in one officer from outside the region to lead the Buhangin police station, stating, “I wanted to give this officer exposure to Mindanao.”
During his assumption of office, Torre initially stated that there would be no revamp.
However, after two weeks of observation, he decided that some commanders needed a new environment to be more efficient with their work.
Addressing concerns about the morale of the PNP and Davao residents due to the reshuffle, Torre said, “I would like to see the data that suggests Davao residents are demoralized. You might be surprised to find out that they don’t want me to leave.”
