THE CHIEF of a special police unit tasked with investigating extrajudicial killings has moved a step closer to likely being named the successor to Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Jesus Verzosa.

Director Raul Bacalzo was designated chief of the directorial staff of the 130,000-strong PNP Friday following the retirement of Deputy Director General Edgardo Acuña.

Traditionally, officers appointed chief of the directorial staff succeed the PNP chief when he retires.

Verzosa, however, declined to comment on rumors he had personally endorsed Bacalzo to President Aquino to be the next PNP chief.

?This is nothing but a natural movement within the PNP due to the retirement of some senior officers,? Verzosa told reporters during retirement honors for Acuña at Camp Crame on Friday.

Bacalzo, head of Task Force Usig which investigates the killing of journalists and activists, replaced Deputy Director General Perfecto Palad.

Verzosa is due to retire on Dec. 25 upon reaching the mandatory police retirement age of 56.

Camp Crame sources said Verzosa might bow out of the service in October to give Bacalzo at least a year at the helm of the PNP before his own retirement comes due next year.

Acuña, who also headed the PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force, was replaced by Palad.

Palad, a ?mistah? (classmate) of Bacalzo?s in Philippine Military Academy Class 1977, is perceived to be Bacalzo?s strongest rival for PNP chief.

Although he refused to name the officers who would be affected, Verzosa said Acuña?s retirement would trigger a top-level revamp in the police force.

Sources told the Inquirer that among those who would be reassigned was Director Roberto Rosales, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office.

Director Leocadio Santiago, head of the elite PNP Special Action Force, has been touted to replace Rosales.

Rosales is reportedly headed to the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Northern Luzon, replacing his mistah, Director Raul Castañeda. Marlon Ramos