Town opposes sacking of newly installed police chief



The augmentation force from the Regional PNP in front of the Lemery Police station.

Lemery, Batangas—Reeling from the murder of a high-ranking police officer and resident of this town, the news of the sudden relief order of the new chief of police who was installed only last July 4,  the town mayor, vice mayor, and the association of barangay chairman showed their support to the police force, who have been suffering from low morale.

     Sr. Supt. Rodney Ramirez, a resident of this town, and former chief of the intelligence unit of the Batangas Police Provincial Office, was killed in an ambush on Tuesday morning in Brgy. Butong, Taal, Batangas, the town beside Lemery.

     But even if Ramirez was killed in Taal town, this town seems to be suffering the brunt of blames, and roving police force in full camouflage uniforms and armalites.

     According to Police Chief Inspector Renato Mercado, who was only eleven days on duty, he has already received the call to leave the Lemery Police station and turn over the command to the incoming chief yesterday morning.

     The reason for the sudden relief, Mercado refused to say,” I only follow the command of the higher-ups,” he said,” What they tell me to do is exactly what I’m going to do.”

     But that wasn’t the case for the entire police force of this town, composed of 38 personnel, whose achievement earned them last year the Outstanding Police Community Service award.

     “This is a low-blow for all of them, knowing how hard they have been working to keep the peace and order here in Lemery.  Here, the police have ensured that every street is secured and everyone can walk the streets alone at night and still come home safely,” Mercado said,” It was just after the murder of Colonel Ramirez last Tuesday in Taal town that everything changed.

     In an interview with Lemery Mayor Eulalio Alilio, he said was shocked at the sudden and untimely sacking of the police chief and worries about his town suffering from the crime that didn’t even happen in Lemery.

According to Gary Marcial, vice chairman of Lemery’s Association of Barangay Captains, since the murder of Ramirez, they’ve seen men in camouflage uniform in every street of the town.

     “The last time this town has seen such camouflaged men roving around with long firearms was during the Martial law,” Marcial said,” Don’t they know they’re in the wrong place? Colonel Ramirez was killed in Taal town, not in Lemery.”

     “We are also appealing  to Governor Vilma Santos-Recto to retain the police force that we have been trusting with our lives for so long,” Marcial added.

     Chona Alivose, District 3 barangay chairwoman has the same gripe.  “My barangay is in the  poblacion, the main commercial area.  And when people saw the men in camouflage uniform with long guns, it sends a scary signal.  Even my kids don’t want to go out anymore,” Alivose added

     “Colonel Ramirez was killed in Taal, not in Lemery. We don’t know why our town is being singled out when the crime didn’t even happen here.  If there’s any town that should be investigated, that should be Taal, not Lemery. Sometimes we wonder if the crime happened in San Luis, beside Taal, will the Taal police chief be sacked too?” Atty. Genaro Cabral, Lemery’s legal officer said.

     Police Senior Inspector Ronnie Golfo, Officer in Charge of the Regional Public Safety Batallion from the Regional Police Office, whose force of 30 fully armed personnel, said they were not in Lemery to take over the police station.

     “We’re just here as augmentation force to keep the peace and make sure that nothing bad would happen,” Golfo said. (Mei Magsino)



He was only chief of police in Lemery town for 11 days. Police Chief Inspector Renato Mercado's short stint as Lemery's 11-day chief of police ended yesterday