MANILA (Updated) -- Ozamiz City police director Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido is moving to Iloilo City, the city once called by President Rodrigo Duterte as "most shabulized" in the country.
The President on Monday announced Espenido's next assignment in a speech he delivered at the National Heroes' Day celebration in Taguig City.
"Your next assignment is Iloilo," Duterte said, as he reminded Espenido to follow the rules of engagement.
"Just follow the rules of engagement, the requirements of the performance of duty which you have learned in your PNPA (Philippine National Police Academy) for almost four years," he added.
Espenido was the Albuera police chief when the town mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. was shot dead by operatives of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group inside his detention cell in Baybay City in November 2016.
Espenido was then reassigned and designated as head the Ozamiz City Police Office, a month after the killing of Espinosa.
Espenido was under fire anew after Ozamiz City mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and 15 others were killed in simultaneous anti-drug operations on July 30.
Duterte earlier tagged Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog as among the government officials involved in illegal drugs.
"I will ask you again, you asked for assignment in Leyte, the town mayor died. You asked for another assignment sa Ozamiz, the town mayor died -- Parojinog. Now, you want to be assigned in Iloilo because Mabilog has been identified as a [drug]-protector mayor. Is he going to live?" Duterte asked.
"I want to ask because I might be accused. You killed them but my name was dragged on several headlines," he added.
The President reminded Espenido to exercise lawful performance of duty on his new assignment, saying murder and homicide is not allowed.
"Murder and homicide or whatever unlawful killing is not allowed. But in the performance of your duty, tell your men that whenever their life is in danger and they are in the actual performance of duty, your duty requires you to overcome the resistance of the person you're arresting," he said.
"If there is violence, then you have to overcome that violence to bring him to the folds of the law and you can put him under your custody. But if he resists and if it is a violent one, I hate to see dead policemen and soldiers performing their duty, do you hear me?" Duterte added.
Duterte said Espenido would get his support, as long as he follows his order. (VoxPop Philippines)
