Espenido transferred to Western Visayas

Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido has been transferred to Western Visayas, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 confirmed on Wednesday.

PRO 6 spokesperson Superintendent Gilbert Gorero said Espenido was officially transferred to Western Visayas on Tuesday, August 29, from the Police Regional Office 10 (Northern Mindanao).

Gorero said Espenido's specific assignment at the PRO 6 will be determined after his courtesy call to regional police director Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag.

Espenido was the chief of the Ozamiz City Police Station.

He led the deadly police raids last July that led to the killing of 16 people, including city Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr.

He was also the chief of police of Albuera town in Leyte when Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed inside his detention cell at the Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail in November last year.

Espenido, however, was not involved in the operation that led to the death of Espinosa.

Several policemen, including Superintendent Marvin Marcos, are facing homicide charges over Espinosa's killing.

Meanwhile, Gorero said Iloilo City Police Office director Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharia Canieso has been relieved and replaced by Senior Superintendent Jesus Cambay in an acting capacity.

Canieso was assigned as PRO 6's chief directorial staff, replacing Senior Superintendent Nolasco Bathan, who had been to the Calabarzon Regional Police Office as deputy director for operations.

Gorero, meanwhile, said that Canieso was earlier ordered transferred to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Police Regional Office, but it was canceled.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday announced that he is transferring Espenido to Iloilo City, which he once called the "most shabulized" city in the country.

Duterte made the announcement after Espenido was conferred the Order of Lapu Lapu award during the National Heroes Day commemoration at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

The President said he is transferring Espenido to Iloilo City because its mayor "has been identified as a protector" of drug lords.

"Mabuhay kaya siya?" Duterte said, referring to Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

Mabilog had denied the allegation. He said he is looking forward to working with Espenido in the campaign against illegal drugs. —reports from Amita Legaspi, Ivan Aguana and Rojimar Sucaldito/ALG, GMA News