7 crew of 'unresponsive' Iloilo police station sacked


ILOLO CITY – A viral video of an alleged "unresponsive" police station in San Enrique town, Iloilo province resulted in the removal of seven policemen, including the town police chief, Capt. Airel Dawn Parcon.

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RAZALAN (FB)

“They were relieved from their posts pending administrative investigation,” said Police Col. Bayani Razalan, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).

Also relieved were Senior Master Sgt. Joan Matutino, Staff Sgts. Maria Ella Cachuela, Jivelyn Parcon, and Dyan Rey Parcon, and Corporals Laurence Sionosa and Ryan Barbosa.

Police were on duty when an alleged social media influencer, Kiko, came to the police station around 4 a.m. on May 21 and no one was there to attend to his needs.

Kiko posted the incident and would later issue an apology through a radio station.

However, the incident reached Police Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky, Police Regional Office-6 chief, who called for a deeper probe.

Allegations surfaced that Kiko was made to issue an apology and retract his statements due to pressure.

“We are still investigating the matter,” Razalan said on Tuesday, May 28.

Razalan assured that this incident will not happen again. 

“Any lapses in our service are taken seriously, and we are committed to addressing them promptly. We thank everyone for their understanding and continued support as we resolve this matter and strengthen our commitment to public safety," added Razalan.

Capt. Ivon Panes was named officer in-charge of the San Enrique Municipal Police Station.