CEBU CITY (Updated) -- Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III told reporters that Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Jose Macanas was relieved from his post effective Friday, September 30.
Macanas, was replaced by Senior Superintendent Eric Noble from Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Visayas.
The relief, ordered by Camp Crame, came after Macanas was tagged as among the drug protectors mentioned by Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who surrendered to Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa in August after he and his son, Kerwin, were tagged as involved in the illegal drug trade.
Macanas was former police director of Ormoc City in Leyte.
PRO-Central Visayas Director Noli Taliño, who visited Davide on Friday morning, said he was surprised that Macanas was tagged as protector of Eastern Visayas drug lord Kerwin Espinosa.
He said the CPPO is one of the top performers in the anti-illegal drug campaign.
But Macanas told Taliño that the Espinosas have an axe to grind against him, saying he arrested Kerwin when he was still the Ormoc City police chief. (OCP/KAL/VoxPop Cebu/Sunnex)