Duterte names police OIC

Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. Image courtesy of PNP Public Information Office

Former Manila police chief Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao has been named officer in charge (OIC) of the Philippine National Police to replace Gen. Dionardo Carlos who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Sunday, a day before the elections, the Palace confirmed on Thursday.

Although the Constitution prohibits the movement of government employees 90 days before an election, the Palace said the President was prompted to make the temporary appointment because of Carlos’ retirement and the election.

New president

“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 One,” Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said in a statement on Thursday.

“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 peaceful, orderly and honest elections,” said Año, who is also the chair of the National Police Commission.

Moreover, the new president to be elected next week may want to appoint another police chief after he or she assumes office on June 30.

One of ‘Davao Boys’

Danao has long been eyed to lead the PNP. He was one of the contenders to succeed then-PNP chief Debold Sinas back in May 2021, being one of the “Davao Boys.”

Guillermo Eleazar was eventually named PNP chief.

Aside from being Manila police chief, Danao also served as police chief of Davao City when President Duterte was mayor from 2013 to 2016, and as regional police chief of Calabarzon and Metro Manila before he was named to the PNP Command Group as the chief of directorial staff and, later on, the deputy chief for operations.

The appointment of Danao, the current No. 3 in the PNP hierarchy, bypassed the more senior Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, PNP’s No. 2 as deputy chief for administration.

Danao is a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Sambisig” Class of 1991, while Sermonia is from the PMA “Makatao” Class of 1989.

Danao is set to retire on Aug. 10, 2023, while Sermonia will retire on Jan. 26, 2024.