3 in PNP top brass get ‘stars’

Three top-tier police officials based in the capital formally rose in rank this week.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) directorial staff chief, Director Francisco Uyami Jr., received his third star to become deputy director general.

Chief Supt. Joel Pagdilao, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), was promoted to the two-star rank of police director, while the head of Eastern Police District, Senior Supt. Elmer Jamias, earned his first star to become chief superintendent.

PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor announced Wednesday that the three officials had taken their oath before PNP Director General Ricardo Marquez at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.

Before taking over NCRPO in July, Pagdilao served for nine months as director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).

An expelled Iglesia ni Cristo minister, Lowell Menorca, alleged in a press conference last week that one of the men who abducted him in July in Sorsogon province wore the uniform of “a former QCPD chief”—but he declined to confirm if he was referring to Pagdilao when shown a photo of the official.

Jamias, meanwhile, made headlines in July when, in his own words, he was “berated and threatened” by Vice President Jejomar Binay who arrived at Makati City Hall for his embattled son, Mayor Junjun Binay.

Jamias was then leading a Southern Police District contingent securing city hall grounds, where pro-Binay crowds had gathered following the Ombudsman’s order suspending the mayor over graft allegations.