He also served as chief of police of Makilala for two years where he campaigned hard against illegal drugs, illegal numbers game and the insurgency.
Makilala police records showed that during the first two quarters of 2006, a dozen ushers of “Last Two,” an illegal numbers game, were jailed.
“This is again a big challenge to me but I am very confident that with the help of our constituents and various sectors we would be able to do our job better,” Ajero said.
He asked for cooperation from residents in the city’s 40 barangays.
He said his biggest challenge as OIC chief is how to solve the increasing trend of carnapping and proliferation of illegal drugs in the city.
“I am appealing to our constituents to cooperate with your local police,” Ajero said.
The vacancy in the position of city director was a major issue here last week as Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco and some business owners here pushed for the reinstatement of Supt. Alexander Tagum as city director.
An endorsement from the Sangguniang Panglungsod had reportedly been prepared for submission to Malacanang to strengthen their support for Tagum
But North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Pinol opposed the reinstatement of Tagum, citing the pending cases filed against him.
Pinol said there were three pending cases in court against Tagum, including an alleged disappearance in 2004 of Alvin Valdez, a suspected robber in Kidapawan. Tagum had denied having anything to do with the disappearance of Valdez.
Pinol had also objected to the reinstatement of Tagum in 2004. Instead of Tagum, then Supt. Danny Reyes was named the city police chief.
Tagum was city police chief until Pinol recommended his relief in 2004 based on a writ of habaeas corpus filed against the police officer.
In 2004, Kidapawan Bishop Romulo Valles and the Kutabateños Alang sa Maayong Panggamhanan (Kalampag), led a series of protest rallies in denouncing Piñol for the relief of Tagum, among others.
Judge Francis Palmones of the Regional Trial Court Branch 23 said Tagum has three pending cases before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities presided by Judge Rebecca De Leon-Buyco. These are unlawful arrest, violation of domicile and the violation of anti-wiretapping law. Palmones said all these cases are less grave offenses with the penalty of one year but not more than six years imprisonment. (Williamor A. Magbanua/MindaNews)