Leyte awards 2 police officials

TACLOBAN CITY, June 24 --The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Leyte has awarded certificates of commendation to police regional director for operations Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar and former provincial director Franco Simborio for their performances in the campaign against illegal drugs and other criminalities.

Both Beltejar and Simborio, received their awards given to them by Vice Governor Carlo Loreto held at the provincial headquarters in San Jose district, Tacloban City on Wednesday.

Vice Gov. Loreto, in an interview on Thursday, said that the commendations to Beltejar and Simborio were in recognition of their “stellar performance as the provincial director of Leyte province as well as the PNP director respectively.”

During Simborio’s stint as provincial police director, Leyte received numerous awards and citations relative to peace and order management, said the vice governor.

Loreto said that both police officials played very crucial roles in many successful operations in the province of Leyte notably in resolving the Hilongos blast incident last December 28, 2016 that injured 32 people with the terror Maute Group as responsible for the explosion.

Their relentless campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs was also cited by the provincial government.

It was during the administration of Simborio that Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. was arrested and the proliferation of illegal drugs in the province was neutralized.

In his speech, Gen. Beltejar thanked the provincial board for recognizing their works saying it was his first time to receive such commendation from a provincial government in the region. (Lizbeth Ann A. Abella/PNA)