New Tacloban police chief told to strive more in maintaining peace and order
TACLOBAN CITY — Mayor Alfred Romualdez has directed the newly assumed city police director to “strive further” in maintaining the peace and order situation in the city, which he described as in a stage of “transition.”
The city mayor witnessed yesterday the assumption into office of Senior Superintendent Sergio Dimandal as new Tacloban police director, replacing Senior Supt.Brigido Unay who held the post for five months.
“Maintain the city’s peace and order situation is a standard (policy) of his work as a city police director. But I ask him to strive further,” Romualdez said during an interview after the turnover rites.
In his speech, Romualdez said that the task as a police city director is a “difficult job” considering that he assumed the post when Tacloban is still in the process of “transition,” from being a dependent charter city into a highly urbanized city.
“The public sees the police (organization) as their guardians. My message to the incoming police director is…not just enforcing the law, serve and protect the people but by walking the talk…,” he said.
Dimandal, 49, became the third top police officer of Tacloban since Mayor Romualdez assumed the post in 2007. His first chief of police was Supt. Cleve Taboso, who also became the first city police director when Tacloban became a highly urbanized city.
Taboso was later replaced by Unay.
With his removal as city police director, Unay will return to the regional headquarters to head its personnel division.
Dimandal, while admitting that the city mayor may have given him a tall order, assured Romualdez that he would do every possible means to meet his expectations.
“I will do what I can. I am just new here,” Dimandal said.
Mayor Romualdez said that he expects the new police director not only to prioritize the city’s peace and order situation but also help improve the image and credibility of the organization among the city’s more than 200,000 residents.
“I pledge my continued commitment to the city police organization. But we must show our people laws and not tolerance,” the city chief executive said.
The city mayor said that as Tacloban is still in the process of transition, the police organization play a pivotal role.
Romualdez said that Tacloban’s economic development could no longer be denied, citing the increasing number of flights schedule coming in and out of Tacloban and the operations of a mall, reason that its peace and order situation should always be secure not only for the benefit of the public but especially to investors.
Romualdez said that he was satisfied with the performance of former police director Unay. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
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