Police Colonel Kim Legada, director of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO), has been relieved of his post following procedural lapses in the investigation into the death of Dueñas Vice Mayor Aimee Paz Lamasan.
The relief was announced by by Police Regional Office (PRO-6) Director Brigadier General Josefino Ligan during a press briefing.
Colonel Roland Bulalacao, PRO-6 Deputy Regional Director for Operations, will serve as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of ICPO.
Also relieved was Captain Jeffrey Delgado, station commander of Iloilo City Police Station 2.
“As a matter of procedure, because we identified lapses in the conduct of the investigation, it is incumbent upon me to relieve both the city director and the station commander, pending further investigation,” Ligan said.
The PRO-6 chief noted that one critical lapse occurred when an “order” was issued preventing the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) from processing the incident site.
“In any crime scene, particularly a shooting, a SOCO team must process the scene. Yet, on that day, no processing was conducted,” he explained.
Ligan added that the investigation will determine the responsibility of those involved in the cancellation, delay, or withdrawal of the SOCO team.
The move comes after Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla visited Lamasan’s wake and held a case conference with local law enforcement officers.
Based on scene reconstruction, examination of financial records, and family testimonies, the official death was classified as an accidental firearm discharge.
However, Remulla highlighted a procedural mistake by the local police: waiting for the victim’s death before initiating the investigation.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has now taken the lead under a Special Investigation Task Group to ensure proper handling of the case.
Lamasan, 51, died on December 31, 2025, a day after undergoing surgery at Iloilo St. Paul’s Hospital following an accidental gunshot at her residence on December 30.IMT
