Cascolan named as next PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has designated Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan as the next chief of the police force.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed this in a message to reporters.

“Yes, PLtGen Cascolan is the new Chief of PNP. PRRD just approved and signed his appointment paper,” Año said.

In a separate statement, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque also confirmed Cascolan’s appointment and expressed confidence in his contribution to PNP.

“The Palace confirms that Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan has been appointed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to be the new Chief of the Philippine National Police effective tomorrow, September 2, 2020,” Roque said.

“We are confident that the incoming Chief of the PNP would continue the significant strides made by his predecessors in making the PNP a professional organization worthy of our people’s trust,” he added.

Cascolan was among those who drafted PNP’s Oplan Double Barrel which consists of Oplan High-Value Target where police go after “big fish” drug lords and Oplan Tokhang where police knock on homes to find drug suspects.

Outgoing PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Wednesday, September 2.

Cascolan was Gamboa’s batchmate in the Philippine Military Academy’s Sinagtala class of 1986.

The newly appointed PNP chief will mandatorily retire in November.

Before he was PNP’s deputy chief for administration, Cascolan served as Director for Operations and Regional Director of the National Capital Region Police Office.

In March, Cascolan briefly served as PNP’s officer-in-charge after Gamboa figured in a helicopter crash in Laguna.

JE