DILG orders Napolcom to strip Guo of police powers

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos has ordered the National Police Commission (Napolcom) to remove the police power of Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo.

- BELON PORCALLA

"Local officials have supervision over the police, so I have instructed the Napolcom to initiate proceedings for the withdrawal of the mayor's deputization, meaning, after the investigation, with sufficient grounds, we would withdraw the deputization of Mayor Guo as the consequences of the privileges attached are revoked immediately, including its control and supervision of its local police," Abalos said at a press conference yesterday.

At the same time, Abalos disclosed that government lawyers would formally file a complaint against Guo after the Office of the Ombudsman said that a case against her should be forwarded to order the preventive suspension against the Bamban mayor.