Mayor Baste Duterte has strongly criticized the recent mass relief of officials within the Davao City Police Office, arguing that the move undermines the efforts of the officers and could negatively impact the city’s peace and security.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Duterte expressed his disapproval of the decision made by Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Rommel Marbil and Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III. He stated, “This move by [Marbil] and [Torre] undermines the hard work not only of these police officials but also of every police personnel who is truthfully fulfilling their mandate, that instead of being recognized, are being relieved and questioned.”
Duterte specifically pointed out that the relief of the City Police Director, the head of the Special Operations Group, and 19 station commanders will not contribute to maintaining the city’s peace and security.
GMA News Online has reached out to Marbil and Torre for their comments but has yet to receive a response.
Duterte also questioned Torre’s quick assessment of the city’s peace and order situation, given his short tenure as the PRO 11 director. “Torre’s perception and conclusion on the peace and order situation of Davao City a few days after he set foot in the city is rather fascinating given that he has only been assigned in PRO XI in less than a month,” he said.
He further added, “If General Torre thought that Davao City police personnel were ineffective in their duties, then how come the very institution he leads has consistently recognized the Davao City Police Office as the top-performing police office in the region?”
The mass relief, effective Monday, July 8, saw the reassignment of the 19 station commanders to various offices within PRO 10, based in Cagayan de Oro City. According to reports, this move was not related to the recent serving of arrest warrants on Pastor Apollo Quiboloy on June 10, 2024.
Additionally, the leadership in the city police was changed three times on Wednesday.