Sinas appoints ex-Bohol police chief as new Calabarzon chief

MANILA, Philippines — Former Bohol police provincial director Police Brigadier General Felipe Natividad has been appointed as the new chief of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) police, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Debold Sinas said Wednesday.

The designation of Natividad came after outgoing Calabarzon director Police Brigadier General Vicente Danao Jr. left his post to officially assume the post of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director.

“I don’t know if it is a reshuffle kasi hindi naman talaga. Kasi may magreretire na, may mga aangat kagaya ni Vic Danao [kasi] umangat ako. Umangat si Vic Danao so papalitan ko si PRO [Police Reional Office] 4A. Iyong position ng PRO 4A, si Police Brig. Gen. Felipe Natividad naman ngayon. Iyong current SPA [Special Police Assistant] ni SILG [Secretary of the Interior and Local Government]. Ngayon, may papalit naman sa kanya [Natividad],” Sinas told reporters after the change of command ceremony at NCRPO Headquarters in Taguig City when asked if he will implement a major reshuffle among police personnel.

(I don’t know if it is a reshuffle because it is not. There will be retirements, there will be promotions like Vic Danao after I was promoted. Vic Danao was also promoted to a higher post so I will replace him at PRO 4A.  Felipe Natividad will now assume Danao’s post at PRO 4A. He is the current SPA of SILG. Now, Natividad will be replaced.)

Sinas added that there will be no “major reshuffle” in the PNP because reassignments will be prompted by the retirement of senior police officials.

“I don’t think it is a major reshuffle. Kung ano po ang bakante kasi maraming magreretire so iyon po ang ifill up natin. Kung baga isang loop kapag may umangat ang isa, maraming maapektuhan niyan kasi mag-aakyatan ang lahat,” he said.

(If there are vacant posts, since there will be retirements, we will fill them up. Meaning, there will be a loop where if one is promoted, all the other posts will be affected.)

Natividad was installed as Bohol Provincial Police Office chief in 2016, during the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Under Natividad’s watch, the Commission on Human Rights placed Bohol police under probe after Saad Samad Kiram alias Abu Saad, a suspected member of Abu Sayyaf Group, died shortly after being arrested.

Subsequently, Natividad was transferred to Camp Crame in 2018 where he served as SPA to the chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Natividad, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1990, will retire in August 2023.

/MUF