TACLOBAN CITY – Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino admitted that he was caught by surprised over his appointment as chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) for Eastern Visayas. Aquino took his oath of office for the said post before President Aquino last August 26 though he has yet to receive his appointment papers. He replaced former Northern Samar governor Paul Daza who lost on his reelection bid during the 2013 elections. Both Aquino and Daza are political allies of the President.
The Calbayog city mayor admitted that he was surprised over his appointment as RPOC chair. Thus, Aquino said, he would talk with his immediate predecessor and discuss with him the functions and responsibilities attached to the post and get tips how to address concerns of the region regarding its peace and order situation. “I was caught off-guard with the position. The immediate thing to do now is to convene the RPOC but I still need to know my duty,” Aquino said. RPOC serves as a coordinating body to provide a forum for dialogue and deliberation of issues and problems affecting the peace and order; recommend measures which will improve or enhance peace and order and public safety and measures to converge and orchestrate internal security operational operations efforts of civil authorities.(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
