Isabela provincial police chief removed
The Manila Times 05/22/2005
By Florante Solmerin, Northern Luzon Bureau
ILAGAN, Isabela: Chief Supt. Jefferson Soriano, regional
police commander, confirmed on Saturday that Sr. Supt. Napoleon
Estilles has been removed as provincial police director.
Estilles told The Manila Times said the illegal
numbers game, jueteng, was not the reason for his relief by Camp
Crame officials.
“My relief doesn’t have to do with jueteng.
It’s the usual reassignment process in the police organization.
Someone has to go for somebody to come in. Rumors are just
rumors, don’t believe them. In my stint as provincial
director in Isabela, I did my very best to implement sound and
relevant programs to improve and strengthen the capability of the
Isabela police in terms of maintaining peace and order and reducing
crime incidents,” Estilles said.
He has been provincial director for exactly a
year. He assumed the post of provincial police director at the
height of the political standoff between ex-governor Faustino Dy Jr.
and Gov. Maria Gracia Padaca.
Soriano said the next provincial director for
Isabela will be Sr. Supt. Percival Barba, who is assigned at the
regional police office.
Estilles told the Times that Isabela had
problems with jueteng even before he became provincial director.
“Jueteng can’t be solved overnight,” he said.
Estilles was the fourth provincial commander to
be removed in the region.
The first two were Supt. Ruben Catabona of Nueva
Vizcaya, Supt. Rodrigo de Gracia of Cagayan and Supt. Manuel delos
Reyes of Quirino.
Cagayan is now under Sr. Supt. James Melad. Sr.
Supt. Pedro Cuntapay took over for Nueva Vizcaya. Sr. Supt.
Roberto Mangaccat is now the provincial police director of Nueva
Vizcaya.
