CEBU CITY – The Cebu City Police Office has a new chief.
POLICE Col. Enrico Evangelista Figueroa (third from left) visits the Cebu City Hall after his assumption as chief of the Cebu City Police Office. (MyTVCebu)
Police Col. Enrico Evangelista Figueroa replaced Police Col. Antonietto Cañete who moved to the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7) as chief of the Directorial Staff.
Figueroa formally assumed the post during a turnover ceremony at the office of newly installed PRO-7 chief Brig. Gen. Redrico Atienza Maranan.
Figueroa is a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 1999. He was previously assigned to the Police Regional Office-3 (Central Luzon) before moving to the CCPO.
Police Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy city director for operations of the CCPO, assured that the change in leadership at CCPO will not affect the security preparations for the upcoming Sinulog Festival.
Macatangay said preparations for the Sinulog Grand Parade on Sunday, Jan. 19, are already in place.
“The outgoing city director already looked into the entire plan, and I believe the incoming city director is very much competent as well to take the reign of the CCPO,” said Macatangay.
The reshuffle ended Cañete’s short but tumultuous stint as CCPO chief.
Cañete, a lawyer, was named acting CCPO chief last July 26, replacing Police Col. Ireneo Dalogdog.
Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia opposed Cañete’s assumption and said that he would look for another officer who could lead the CCPO permanently.
Shortly after Cañete assumed the position, a saleslady was murdered and two jewelry shops were robbed in broad daylight.
Garcia warned Cañete to come up with effective anti-crime measures to enable him to earn the police city director position permanently.
During Cañete’s tenure, a standoff occurred at the City Hall when former City Administrator Collin Rosell tried to take over.
Rosell insisted that he and dismissed Mayor Michael Mayor Michael Rama were eligible to return after serving their six-month suspension.
The standoff ended when Cañete spearheaded the arrest of Rosell who filed charges against Cañete over his “unlawful arrest.”
Last December, Garcia expressed satisfaction with the performance of the CCPO under the leadership of Cañete.