MANILA, Philippines – The police regional director of Ilocos engaged in a sacking spree, firing a total of 13 chiefs of police for underperformance, the Ilocos Regional Police Office announced on Friday, August 3.

Who were sacked? The chiefs of police from the following towns were removed from their posts effective since Tuesday, July 31:

1. Batac City, Ilocos Norte
2. Pinili, Ilocos Norte
3. Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte
4. Carasi, Ilocos Norte
5. Candon, Ilocos Sur
6. Narvacan, Ilocos Sur
7. Santa, Ilocos Sur
8. Alilem, Ilocos Sur
9. Salcedo, Ilocos Sur
10. Sugpon, Ilocos Sur
11. Santol, La Union
12. Burgos, La Union
13. San Gabriel, La Union

Meantime, the incumbent deputy chiefs of police were ordered to replace them as officers-in-charge, before new top cops are appointed.

Why remove them? According to Ilocos top cop Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, the 13 disappointed by clocking in low points in their “monthly evaluation.”

The series of sackings contribute to a long line of removed police officials ever since new Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde assumed office.

Upon sitting in the highest office of Camp Crame, low-key and stern Albayalde ordered a reevaluation of police chiefs nationwide. Those who disappointed, he said, should be assigned to lower positions.

More will follow:  Sapitula said his next target is Pangasinan.

He gave police officials in the province one week to sharpen up and prove themselves worthy of keeping their posts.

“We have to set standards to continuously improve the performance of police officers in Region 1 and we will not tolerate any act of laxity and incompetence with our mandate,” Sapitula said. – Rappler.com

Editor’s Note: In an earlier version of this story, we reported that Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula graduated from the Philippine Military Academy and that the next target of his campaign against underperforming cops is Pampanga. We regret the errors and made the necessary corrections.