Cebu police chief's relief not linked to support for optional face mask use —PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday clarified that the relief and transfer of Cebu Provincial Police Office director Colonel Engelbert Soriano was not linked to his support for the optional face mask policy in the province.

"Nilinaw na po natin iyong relief and transfer ni Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano from Cebu Police Provincial Office patungo sa unit ng Camp Crame ay bunga doon sa implementation and policy ng PNP pertaining sa rotation ng ating mga third-level officer," Col. Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson said during the Laging Handa briefing.

"Ibig sabihin po, mula sa ranggong police colonel hanggang pataas, ito ay dahil na rin po may mga umiiral tayong policy na ang maximum tenure ng mga provincial directors/city director at pati iyong mga chief of police ng National Capital Region Police Office ay hanggang maximum of one year lang," she said. 

(Soriano's relief and transfer from Cebu to Camp Crame is in accordance with our policy of rotating third level officers, meaning those whose rank is police colonel and above. The maximum tenure for them is one year.)

"Puwede pong i-extend ito hanggang three months due to the exigency of service, but we have to get the approval of the chief PNP. On the case of Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, he served as the provincial director of Cebu-PPO for more than one year now," she added.

Fajardo said Soriano was not the lone police official who received a transfer order.

"There are other third-level officers who were also transferred alongside him, and it is also because the election ban on transfer has been lifted," she said.

"As of the moment, our officer-in-charge has been granted additional authority on the movement and transfer of PNP personnel to ensure that there will be no disruption in our duty to safeguard public safety," she added.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia earlier issued an executive order that makes the wearing of face mask optional in well-ventilated and open areas.  The provincial board later on passed a resolution on the policy.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) did not recognize the resolution and said the mandatory wearing of face mask all over the country stays, citing the earlier order of the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Malacanang and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also maintained that the national policy of mandatory wearing of face mask will prevail since the country is still under a state of public emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.—LDF, GMA News