Bato: Ozamiz police chief Espenido to receive special award

Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido will receive a special award from the Philippine National Police more than a week after the Ozamiz City police raids that left 16 people dead, including Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa announced in a  press conference in Camp Crame on Monday that Espenido is among the police officers who will receive special awards during the Police Service Anniversary on Wednesday.

Dela Rosa, however, clarified that Espenido will receive a special award not because of the Ozamiz police raids.

He said Espenido had been chosen to receive a special award for his contribution to the government's war on drugs as chief of the Ozamiz City Police Station and previous chief of Albuera, Leyte.

"Hindi pa nangyari iyong Ozamiz incident kasama na si Espenido sa mga awardees for his accomplishments sa anti-drug operations sa Albuera at sa Ozamiz," he said. "Significantly nag-drop iyong drug activities sa Ozamiz dahil sa kanyang pamumuno sa Ozamiz City Police Station."

Espenido was transferred to Ozamiz City following the killing of Albuera mayor Ronaldo Espinosa inside his detention cell in Leyte.

A radio dzBB report said that during the press conference, Dela Rosa said there are no plans to transfer Espenido to another post after the deadly police raids and amid supposed death threats on the police official.

Dela Rosa said he will only transfer Espenido if there is a need to focus on another drug personality in another area. —report from Rod Vega/ALG, GMA News