CEBU CITY – Police in Central Visayas were reminded to observe neutrality as the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 30 approaches.
Police Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7), said he will not hesitate to penalize police officers who will be involved in political activities.

ABERIN (PRO-7 FB)
“We are on election period. Everyone is expected to be apolitical,” Aberin said.
Aberin disclosed that he has been receiving reports that there are policemen in the region who are involved in political activities.
“We should be neutral. I have received reports of some officers who are really campaigning for someone or they are campaigning against someone.”
“May I remind you, please maintain neutrality,” Aberin said.
Two police non-commissioned officers (PNCOs) have been relieved from their posts for allegedly engaging in partisan politics. The relief order of another PNCO for the same offense is also being processed.
The PRO-7 chief said that those who cannot observe neutrality should just leave the police organization.
“If you cannot maintain neutrality, you file your resignation or your retirement and you join politics. Because as long as you are a member of the Philippine National Police, we must be apolitical,” said Aberin.
Aberin issued the warning during the assumption of Police Col. Percival Zurilla as the new chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office on Wednesday, October 4.
Aberin instructed Zurilla, a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Kabalikat Class of 1998, to intensify police visibility in the province as a proactive approach against criminality.
“Go back to basics. We all know what the basics are. It’s like our bible, we always observe the police operational procedure because the most important mandate of the PNP is crime prevention and crime resolution,” Aberin said.