CEBU CITY – In preparation for next year’s election, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is set to account for all its deployed police escorts to check if their services are still urgently needed by those have earlier requested their services, as some local officials have been reported to be with escorts even without any approval by their directors.

PRO7 Deputy for Operations Marcelo Garbo bared that to properly allocate their workforce, they have to account their personnel to avoid possible shortage.

He admitted that they are now identifying local officials with police escorts having no formal assignments from the PRO7, as police escorts are required to have official assignments before undergoing said duty, while the requesting party should properly apply for it.

Meanwhile, in the matter regarding Consolacion Mayor Avelino Gungob’s grudge with the PRO7 due to the pull-out by the latter of his two police escorts, Garbo said Cebu Provincial Police Office Director Senior Supt. Jesus Gaquing is expected to have another dialogue with the Gungob to settle the continuing problem.

To recall, Gungob, who was irked by the recent recall of his police escorts, demanded the relief of the town’s entire police force to be replaced with barangay tanods (barangay auxiliary guards).

The said problem has also resulted in the alleged disconnection of the town’s police stations’ telephone landline and electric power, substantially affecting police operation in the area.

On the other hand, Gaquing said theree was nothing personal or irregular in the recall of the two policemen.

He explained that PO3 Jomarie Espinosa and PO3 Sherwin Leyson were recalled from duty because of their pending cases before the Office of the Ombudsman for the Visayas.

The two policemen were included in the charge sheet filed by five Consolacion residents against Mayor Gungob for misconduct and oppression in relation to quarrying activities in the mountains.