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[av_heading heading=’Gentiles sacks ‘media-shy’ Jaro police chief’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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Tuesday, january 10, 2017
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ILOILO City – Known for being inaccessible to the media, the chief of Jaro district’s police station was relieved from his post yesterday.
Chief Superintendent Jose Gentiles, regional police director, ordered the sacking of Chief Inspector Herbert Ballego, citing the complaints of media outlets that the Jaro police chief was frequently difficult to reach for information about his area of responsibility.
Gentiles had a standing memorandum ordering police chiefs across the region to entertain media queries and open their police stations’ landline and mobile phones.
Responding to journalists is important, “especially kung may insidenteng nangyari,” the regional police director stressed.
Now temporarily heading the Jaro police station is Ballego’s deputy, Inspector Ronaldo Amihan.
Ballego was recalled to the Iloilo City Police Office but with no specific assignment yet as of yesterday.
The Jaro police station should be manned by a police officer with the rank of Chief Inspector because it is the biggest of the city’s seven districts, said Senior Inspector Shella Mae Sangrines, city police spokesperson.
Last month, reporters seeking follow-up information on the shooting of an Indian moneylender complained that Ballego was not answering calls to his mobile phone or acknowledging text messages.
The 34-year-old Rupinder Kaur Chahal of Barangay Buhang, Jaro was gunned down in a car accessories shop on Jalandoni Street, Barangay Our Lady of Fatima, also in Jaro.
“It is so unfortunate na ganoon pala ang attitude ng ating chief of police,” Gentiles said. “Police chiefs ang talagang may firsthand information kung may insidente sa area nila.”
Those who will refuse will be investigated and slapped with appropriate sanctions, Gentiles warned.
“The media is our partner, so we have to accommodate their queries,” he said. “It is necessary to inform the public about incidents happening around.”/PN
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