The reassignment of Tagbilaran City Police Station (TCPS) chief Lt. Col. Christopher Navida is a “big loss” to Tagbilaran City’s crime-busting efforts, said Mayor Baba Yap who was all praises for the city’s former top cop.

Yap said that Navida’s replacement will have “big shoes to fill,” citing awards won by the TCPS under his short stint as police chief.

“Kung naay awards, pasabot ana na recognized g’yud ang efforts. Grabe ang awards na nakuha sa city PNP adto na time, not only sa atoang probinsya pero recognized nationwide pud,” he said.

Last month, the TCPS won the Silver Eagle Award for the proficiency stage of the Philippine National Police ‘s (PNP) Performance Governance System (PGS).

Navida received the award for the TCPS during the 118th Police Service Anniversary in Cebu.

The former city police chief who only held the post for less than 10 months was transferred amid a region-wide reshuffling of officers which was set in motion by the promotion of former Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas as National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director.

Sinas left the PRO-7 taking with him some officers including Navida to the NCRPO.

According to Bohol Provincial Police Office community relations chief Lt. Col. Conrado Manatad, Lt. Col. Ismael Gauna, chief of the Provincial Mobile Force Company, has temporarily taken over as Tagbilaran police chief.

Meanwhile, Yap said that he has not yet been informed on the candidates poised to assume the post but he vowed to extend support to the next leadership of the TCPS.

“Confident gihapon ta with the partnership of the city na mo-suporta gihapon sa kapulisan,” he added. (R. Tutas)