The director of the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office has been removed from his post following a deadly shooting incident where a police officer killed three of his colleagues.
Command Responsibility Leads to Relieving of Top Cop
Police Colonel Criscent Tiguelo was officially relieved from his position as Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office director effective Monday, January 12, 2026. The decision was announced by Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office chief, Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño, during a press conference on the same day.
Tuaño cited the principle of command responsibility as the reason for Tiguelo's removal. Colonel Lito Patay has been designated as the temporary replacement to lead the provincial police force.
Details of the Sibulan Police Shooting
The drastic action stems from a tragic event on the evening of January 9, 2026, in Sibulan, Negros Oriental. According to official reports, Police Staff Sergeant Bonifacio Saycon shot and killed a woman inside a bar during a drinking session with three other police officers.
The group included the chief of the Sibulan Municipal Police Station, Captain Jose Edrohil Cimafranca. After the initial shooting, Saycon's fellow officers arrested him. However, while en route to the police station, Saycon allegedly drew his firearm and shot his colleagues.
The victims who died in the attack were identified as:
- Captain Jose Edrohil Cimafranca, Sibulan police chief
- Senior Master Sergeant Tristan Chua
- Patrolman Rey Albert Temblor
Investigation and False Reporting
Brigadier General Tuaño stated that the police have not yet established a clear motive for the killings. He debunked earlier speculation that the shooting resulted from a fight over the female victim. "The real motive has not been established as the suspect refuses to speak," Tuaño explained.
He indicated that the ongoing investigation by the Negros Island Region (NIR) police currently attributes the incident to the severe intoxication of the group when they entered the establishment.
In a related development, the deputy police chief of the Sibulan Municipal Police Station was also relieved from duty. This action was taken due to false reporting of the shooting incident in an initial account penned by the deputy chief, which inaccurately stated the three victims had responded to the bar after the woman was shot.
Further background reveals that the suspect, Police Staff Sergeant Bonifacio Saycon, had only been assigned to the Sibulan station on December 8, 2025. Tuaño also disclosed that Saycon previously faced an administrative case for less grave neglect of duty for allegedly failing to attend a court hearing related to a prior search warrant.
The PNP's swift actions in relieving both the provincial director and a local deputy chief underscore the force's application of command accountability in the wake of grave incidents involving personnel.
