DAGUPAN CITY – All the 16 policemen of San Manuel town, including their chief, had been relieved as of Monday as an aftermath of the slaying last June 20 of that town’s Vice Mayor Bonie Apilado.

Supt. Ricardo Tamayo, deputy police provincial director for administration, told newsmen here on Thursday that Inspector Realito Rodriguez, chief of police, and all his men were replaced by members of the elite Provincial Mobile Group (PMG) and the Regional Mobile Group (RMG).

Rodriguez and his men were ordered to report to the Police Provincial Office in Lingayen for re-training.

Rodriguez earlier opted to go on leave to prevent suspicion that the police in San Manuel is taking side and was promptly replaced on June 21 by Senior Superintendent Michael Grona as officer-in-charge.

However, Grona as in turn replaced just after one week by one Supt. Camilla.

Tamayo said although Vice Mayor Apilado was killed in Urdaneta City by unidentified assassins, the entire members of the San Manuel Police Force may have committed lapses in their duties because they did not do anything to secure Apilado despite known threats on his life.

On top of this, he said, is the need for members of the San Manuel Police Force to acquire new management style so that more civilians will be encouraged to report any untoward incident to the police.

The wife, mother and brothers of Apilado, 35, attested that the vice mayor was under threat before, during and after the elections.

Apilado, on his second term of office as vice mayor and twice elected councilor of San Manuel, ran against reelectionist Mayor Salvador Perez and lost, landing in far second and trailing Perez by some 5,000 votes.

At the same time, Tamayo said Task Force Apilado created by Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Isagani Nerez is still investigating the slaying.

He called on the people who may have witnessed the slaying at 1:30 p.m. of June 20 to  come out and volunteer information to the police that could help solve the slaying.

A driver of Wrangler owner-type jeep owned by Apilado is now recuperating from a bullet wound just below his left shoulder and is now under heavy guard, being a vital witness to the case.

Apilado was talking with the owner of a car air-con shop on Maharlika Highway, a busy road, opposite the Manantan Technical Institute in barangay San Vicente, Urdaneta City when shot from behind by an unidentified gunman, possibly a hired gun.

Although wounded, he tried to run but the gun man followed him and shot him two times more on the head.

Tamayo said the relief of the entire San Manuel Police Force was a pro-active measure adopted by the Police Provincial Office to prevent any more violence in the town, and in anticipation of the oath taking of new officials on June 30. (PNA)