CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Jose Macanas was relieved of his post on Friday, September 30, due to his inclusion in a list of police officers involved in the drug trade.

Region 7 Police Director Superintendent Noli Taliño informed Cebu Governor Hilario “Junjun” Davide III of Macanas’ relief..

Macanas reacted, however, by saying Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who released the drug trade list, implicated him because he has an axe to grind. Macanas said he arrested Espinosa’s son Roland ‘Kerwin’ Espinosa when he was the police chief in Ormoc, Leyte, from 2014 to 2016.

The order to relieve Macanas came from Camp Crame.

“I was surprised, he was performing well. We have a very good working relationship. Sayangan ko ba kay maayo man siya’g performance (I feel it’s a waste because he’s been performing well),” Davide told reporters.

Macanas accepted the award for Cebu province in August for the most number of firearms confiscated during the election period.

Macanas is also the former head of the Highway Patrol Group in the Central Visayas. He replaced Senior Superintendent Clifford Gairanod as the provincial director last July.

Macanas, along with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), told media early August that Espinosa was also being hunted in Cebu. (READ: Son of Albuera town mayor also wanted in Cebu)

Duterte had issued a 24-hour deadline for the father and son to surrender to authorities last August. While the father surrendered, the younger Espinosa still has not. (READ: Kerwin Espinosa told: ‘Surrender or your family will be in jeopardy)

The Espinosas were originally from Cebu City and although were living in Albuera, continued trading drugs in the Eastern and Central Visayas.

But according to the Bureau of Immigration (BI), Kerwin had already left for Malaysia last June, even before President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.

Last March 5, Macanas lead a raid on Espinosa’s operations in Ormoc, when he was still chief of the town’s police force. During the raid, high-powered firearms, handguns and sachets of ‘shabu’ were confiscated from Kerwin’s associate’s house.

Taliño himself was surprised at the accusation, and said that Macanas was one of the ‘top performers’ in the campaign against drugs in the Central Visayas.

Macanas will be replaced by Senior Superintendent Eric Noble from the Police Regional Office (PRO) Central Visayas. – Rappler.com