NEW ASSIGNMENT. Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido (left) is welcomed to the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) by Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, PRO-6 regional director at Camp Delgado, Iloilo City on Wednesday (Oct. 16, 2019). Espenido was assigned as the deputy city director for operations of the Bacolod City Police Office effective Wednesday. (PNA photo by Gail Momblan)
ILOILO CITY -- Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido was assigned as the deputy city director for operations of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), the top cop of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO 6) confirmed on Wednesday.
Espenido received his new rank insignias from Brig. Gen. Rene Pamuspusan, PRO-6 regional director, and Col. Marlon Tayaba, chief of PRO-6 directorial staff, three years after his promotion order was approved.
With his new rank as lieutenant colonel, Pamuspusan believed that he is fitted to become Bacolod City’s deputy city director for operations.
“The rank calls for it. He is now lieutenant colonel and the rank for deputy city director for operations commensurate his newly given rank,” Pamuspusan said in a press conference at Camp Delgado here.
With the new assignment, the PRO 6 top cop said Espenido will handle operational matters of the BCPO and the chairman of the oversight committee on anti-illegal drugs.
“He will be overseeing the overall management of the anti-illegal drugs in Bacolod,” he said.
Espenido’s assignment will be effective Wednesday. He will replace Lt. Col. Ariel Pico who will be designated as the deputy city director for administration of BCPO.
In the same press conference, Espenido said he considers his assignment as a boost to the government’s thrust against illegal drugs.
“This is an added help to the Region 6. We know that the war against illegal drugs is continuous, so we will manage to intensify (the war against drugs). Our fellowmen can expect the best effort we can share to PRO 6, particularly in Bacolod,” he said in Tagalog.
While the expectations for him to curb illegal drugs are high, Espenido said he can only assure that he will work aligned with the rule of law and is assigned for no specific groups or persons to focus on.
“Sa atin, rule of law, ‘yun ang pinangarap ng Presidente natin na talagang ayun sa mandate ng batas, ng PNP (For us, it’s the rule of law. That is what the President wanted, that is also according to the mandate of the law, of the PNP),” he said.
“We always preserve the rights of the people, to protect and preserve,” he said.
Pamuspusan also expressed his confidence in Espenido as he said Bacolod City remains to be “one of the problematic places in PRO 6 in terms of illegal drugs.”
“With the experience and the capability of Lt. Col. Espenido, I’m sure that they can help the effort of our police in Bacolod. This is a very critical position, which is the chairman of the oversight committee on illegal drugs and with his background and expertise, I’m sure that it will give the much-needed help to further our anti-illegal drugs campaign,” he said.
Espenido had contributed to the government’s war against drugs after he led the operations against suspected narco-politicians, such as Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa and Ozamiz City Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog. (PNA)
