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Provincial police chief's relief not linked to support for Cebu gov's EO on face mask: PNP

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="PCol. Engelbert Soriano. Screenshot from PTV" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/06/15/pcol-engelbert-soriano-ptv-6152022.jpg"/><figcaption>PCol. Engelbert Soriano. Screenshot from PTV</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The relief of Cebu Provincial Police chief PCol. Engelbert Soriano has nothing to do with his remarks in support of the policy of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to relax the face mask rule in the province, a police spokesperson said Wednesday.&quot;Nailinaw na natin, yung relief and transfer ni PCol. Engelbert Soriano from Cebu Provincial Office [ay] bunga ng implementation and policy ng PNP pertaining sa rotation ng ating mga third-level officer,&quot; PCol. Jean Fajardo, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police, in a televised briefing. (We have clarified that the relief and transfer of Soriano from the Cebu Provincial Office was because of the policy implementation on the rotation of third-level officers.) &quot;Hindi lang si Police Coronel Soriano ang na-isyuhan ng transfer order. Marami tayong third-level officer na nai-transfer din po kasabay niya. At ito na rin ay bunga na rin ng na-lift na po ng ating election period na kailangan natin humingi ng clearance sa Comelec with respect for the transfer of personnel,&quot; she added. (Soriano was not the only one who received the transfer order. We also had other third-level officers who were transferred along with him because our election period already ended.) <figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2079117" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>The PNP announced Tuesday that Soriano was relieved of his post effective June 12 after having served for more than a year.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/14/22/cebu-police-chief-relieved-from-duty">Cebu provincial police chief relieved of his post</a></li></ul>Days before his relief, Soriano released a statement that Garcia&#x27;s EO 16 making the wearing of face masks optional in open areas in the province, &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/11/22/cebu-police-garcias-order-easing-face-mask-use-remains-the-law">remains the law</a>&quot; in his area of concern. This despite the leadership of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, under which the PNP falls, <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/10/22/dilg-does-not-recognize-cebu-order-lifting-face-mask-rule">not recognizing</a> Garcia&#x27;s policy in light of the lingering threat of the COVID-19.DILG Sec. Eduardo Año on Friday said he has spoken with the PNP chief and regional and provincial police directors, instructing them to implement the mandate on wearing masks.&quot;Kung ang provincial director hindi niya ipatutupad &#x27;yan, he will be relieved of his position, and we will place somebody there who will implement the law,&quot; Año said in an interview with TeleRadyo on Monday night.According to Fajardo, the national police spokesperson, Soriano needed to be transferred to the holding unit in the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City following the implantation of their rotation rule. Third level officers or those with ranks of Police Colonel above, Fajardo noted, may only hold a maximum tenure of 1 year and can be extended up to 3 months if they are provincial director, city director, or the head of the National Capital Region Police Office.Police Col. Elmer Lim was designated as officer-in-charge of the Cebu Police Provincial Office following Soriano&#x27;s relief.Amid the change in leadership at the police provincial office, the Cebu provincial board on Tuesday approved unanimously on final reading an ordinance related to Garcia&#x27;s EO.Ordinance No. 2022-03 legalizes EO 16 making use of face masks optional in outdoor and well-ventilated spaces. The protective gear remains required however in indoor and air-conditioned areas, and for those with symptoms of COVID-19.The new ordinance also authorizes the governor to come up with rules and regulations on the issue. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/14/22/cebu-provincial-board-oks-eased-face-mask-use">Cebu provincial board OKs eased face mask use</a></li></ul>The DILG has yet to issue a statement regarding the move by the Cebu province&#x27;s legislative body.Malacañang on Tuesday said the IATF policy should &quot;prevail&quot; over rules set by local governments, and that the public must keep wearing masks.The Philippine Genome Center has detected 16 more cases of highly transmissible omicron subvariants BA.5 and BA.2.12.1, the Department of Health said Wednesday.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/15/22/philippines-detects-more-omicron-subvariant-cases">Philippines detects more omicron BA.5, BA.2.12.1 subvariant cases</a></li></ul>The country, as of Tuesday, has logged a total of more than 3.69 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which, 3,130 were active.Twenty-eight of the active infections are in Cebu province, according to the DOH COVID-19 Tracker.

The PNP spokesperson categorically said that PCol. Engelbert Soriano's relief has nothing to do with his statement backing Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia's EO regarding the wearing of face masks.

Provincial police chief's relief not linked to support for Cebu gov's EO on face mask: PNP

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Provincial police chief's relief not linked to support for Cebu gov's EO on face mask: PNP

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 15, 2022 04:42 PM PHT

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PNP

Engelbert Soriano

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