CALBAYOG CITY – Western Samar Police director Senior Supt. Nicolas Torre lll and City Mayor Ronald Aquino are not in “good terms” over alleged overlapping of functions by the local chief executive in some police works specifically during anti-criminality operations.
“The feud led to the filing of criminal and administrative complaints against Aquino before the Office of the Ombudsman [Visayas] for alleged libel and grave misconduct”, a local there who requested anonymity told iOrbitnews.com
Aquino and the City council, the source said, passed and approved a resolution dated May 21, 2018, declaring Torre as persona non-grata that prompted Torre to seek an audience with city council to answer and discuss point-by-point the accusation hurdled against him by the local government executives.
However, the source said Torre was denied opportunity by Aquino and was instead ridiculed in various meetings with other government officials.
The source said that on Aug. 15, Aquino allegedly interfered in police operations on the arrest of Barangay Patong (Upper Valley) Chairman, Kagawad and two others, who reportedly belongs to a private armed group of a politician, where cache of firearms, ammunition and explosives have been seized.
“Mayor Aquino accompanied by a battery of lawyers rushed to the headquarters of mobile force company situated in Cara where he questioned the legality of the raid and search on the residents of the suspects,” said the source, who works at the City Hall.
Torre’s complaint was received and acknowledged by the Office of the Ombudsman and docketed under OMB-V-C18-00442 and OMB-V-A-18-0497 for libel and grave misconduct respectively. It was signed by Paul Elmer Clemente, deputy Ombudsman Visayas.
A separate complaint had been filed before the National Police Commission (Napolcom) against Aquino seeking for the removal of police control in Calbayog City. Torre cited violations on the provision of Republic Act 6975 as implemented by the NAPOLCOM Memorandum Circular 99-010 which states among the reasons;
Providing material support to criminal elements; and
Engaging in acts inimical to national security or which negate the effectiveness of the peace and order campaign.