OZAMIZ CITY—City Police Chief Insp.
Jovie Espenido recently received a special individual award for his successful effort
in the anti-illegal drugs campaign here.
Philippine National Police (PNP)
chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa was with Espenido when he received
the award for his “outstanding performance in anti-illegal drug operations that
led to the eradication of illegal drug activities in Eastern Visayas and Ozamiz
City” from President Rodrigo Duterte.
The award was given during the
116th PNP Service Anniversary last Wednesday, August 9 in Camp Crame. Several
other officers were also given awards for their service.
Dela Rosa said that because of
Espenido’s anti-drugs campaign, drug activities in Ozamiz activites
significantly dropped.
He added the deadly raid on the
Parojinogs of Ozamiz is not a factor to the recognition of the police chief,
explaining further that even before the Ozamiz incident, Espenido was already
among the awardees for his anti-drug operations in Albuera and Ozamiz.
The police director confirmed reports
that Espenido will be re-stationed once more, away from Ozamiz to a city where illegal
drug trade is intense, as he said they are still gathering intelligence on
where the cop will be put next.
An earlier report by Inquirer
quoted Dela Rosa as saying he has no plans to reassign Espenido from Ozamiz but
he may do so if there is a need to target a drug personality in a certain area.
Espenido was transferred to Ozamiz
City in December 2016. He became popular during the Duterte administration’s
anti-drugs war after the fall of Mayor Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte and Mayor
Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. who were tied to the illegal drugs trade.
In related news filed yesterday,
The Philippine Preview was able to source a quote from Espenido as saying he will
start hunting down supporters and cohorts of the Parojinog family in their
illegal activities in Ozamiz.
Espenido added that when he arrived
here last 2016, he already received information of alleged cops that are under
the Parojinogs, but he declined to disclose the names of these cops because he
has to verify it with Duterte’s updated illegal drug list.
Espenido made clear that it is not
just Vice Mayor Nova Princess Echavez who is directly involved in the selling
of illegal drugs but also her mother, Susan.
Meanwhile, he said Mayor Parojinog
held the strongest type of firearms which were being used in different illegal
activities, as he vowed to give justice to the families who are victims of
killings, robbery, extortion and drug trafficking in the city. (MICHAEL MEDINA)