Calinan Police Station chief relieved as an offshoot of rape-slay, other crimes
With Lourhenz Igloria and Rojean Grace Patumbon/UM Interns
THE CALINAN Police Station commander was transferred to another post on June 10 following the spate of crimes in his area, particularly the high-profile rape-slay case of architect Vlanche Marie Bragas last month.
PMaj. Neil M. Vistar was replaced by PMaj. Ricky Obenza, based on the directive of city police director Colonel Alberto Lupaz and Police Regional Office XI chief BGen. Alden Delvo.
Delvo said the relief and reshuffling were expected, especially if the police station could not solve or prevent crimes from their respective jurisdictions.
He said the directive aimed to restore public trust considering that residents were unsatisfied with the Calinan police’s performance.
“So, it would send a strong message to other COPs (chiefs of police) that [if] something transpires in their AOR (area of responsibility), we have to immediately solve it; first of all, prevent it from happening,” Delvo said.
Also, the personnel in Calinan Police Station are now subjected to reshuffling since Vistar’s replacement.
Meanwhile, Vistar will also assume command of the City Mobile Force Company, a post that Obenza previously held.
In a press conference last June 5 at the Davao City Police Office, Vistar was the one who presented the matrix between the four suspects, witnesses, and the victim. The Special Investigation Task Force Bragas already filed rape with homicide charges against four suspects.
One of the suspects already died, another one was missing, the other is presently in the custody of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency XI, and one is still at large.
In an interview, Obenza was clear in his mandate as the newly minted police station commander of Calinan, which is to heighten the community’s security in coordination with the barangays. “Atoang pakusgan atoang mga beat patrollers together with baranggay tanod. Ang street natin sa Calinan gamay-gamay lang so kailangan natu ang tabang sa atoang komunidad (We need to strengthen our beat patrollers as well as our barangay tanods. Our streets in Calinan are narrow so we need help from our community).”
