(Eagle News) — Chief Insp. Jovie Espenido will no longer be reassigned to Iloilo.
Chief Supt. Cesar Binag, Police Regional Office 6 director, said this in a radio interview on Saturday, after receiving what he said was an official document from the Philippine National Police higher-ups “that cancels the reassignment” of Espenido in Iloilo City.
President Duterte had called Iloilo the “bedrock of drugs” in the Visayas, and had tagged its mayor, Jed Mabilog, in his narco-list.
Mabilog has publicly come out and defended himself, saying his city was doing its part in the war on drugs.
Biñas as Iloilo police director
According to Binag, the document also states that Senior Supt. Henry Biñas was to be assigned as Iloilo City police director effective Sept. 1.
Biñas, Binag said, was the provincial director in Negros Oriental.
“Binigyan lang kami ng official document, ng order, kami ay susunod lang,” Binag said.
News of the changes in assignments came after Duterte revealed in a speech that people did not want Espenido–who has been commended by the President for his performance—to leave Ozamiz because “baka balikan daw sila ng pulis.”
It was Espenido who led the raid that saw Ozamiz Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr.—who was allegedly engaged in illegal drug activities—and several others killed in July.
Espenido was also the police chief when Albuera, Leyte Rolando Espinosa–who was facing drug-related charges, among others, at that time—was killed in his cell last year.
Top drug lord
The announcement on the new assignments was also made after Richard Prevendido, allegedly a top Western Visayas drug lord, was killed in Jaro, Iloilo.
Prevendido had managed to elude authorities despite a P5-million bounty on his head.