(FILE) Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. Image courtesy of PNP Public Information Office
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has designated PNP Chief of Directorial Staff Lieutenant General Vicente Danao Jr. as the officer-in-charge of the agency, effective May 8.
PNP Chief General Dionardo Carlos will retire on May 8, his 56th birthday, qualifying him for the mandatory retirement age.
“The Palace confirms that PLTGEN Vicente Dupa Danao, Jr. has been designated as Officer-in-Charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP) effective May 8, 2022,” acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar said in a statement Thursday.
“We are confident that General Danao will continue efforts to transform the PNP into a more dynamic and more professional organization performing its mandate of serving and protecting our people,” he added.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Danao’s designation is “pivotal and timely” as the polls will take place on May 9.
“As OIC of the PNP, Danao’s first order of the day is to ensure that all security preparations are in place and all police units are mobilized and on alert so that the country will have a peaceful, orderly, and honest elections,” he said in a separate statement.
“As commander of the National Security Task Force on National and Local Elections, Danao is more than cut out for the job of ensuring safe and peaceful elections as he has been involved in the planning and security preparations for the elections since Day 1,” Año went on.
The Interior chief added that he is counting on Danao to pursue and further intensify the PNP’s campaign against criminality and lawlessness, communist terrorism, and illegal drugs among other forms of criminality.