Shake up in PNP leadership ahead of Duterte presidency

Members of Philippine National Police at Camp Crame Headquarters. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Less than a month before the Philippine National Police welcomes its new chief, a reshuffle of senior officers holding sensitive posts has been implemented by its outgoing chief Director General Ricardo Marquez.

In a press briefing on Thursday, PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor said the retirement of some senior officers prompted Marquez to implement the reorganization.

But once Duterte’s appointee, Chief Supt. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, takes over the highest PNP post, Mayor said he has the power to designate the reshuffled officers to different PNP offices.

Among those who were transferred to different posts were Chief Supt. Ronald Santos and Chief Supt. Elmo Sarona. Santos, formerly the deputy regional director for administration for Calabarzon Regional Police, was one of the four generals who came under fire after journalists spotted them in a confidential meeting with a staff of defeated presidential candidate Mar Roxas last April.

Sarona, meanwhile, was recently relieved as the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) chief after a criminal case was filed against him and 14 other cops over the alleged anomalous issuances of the firearms licenses.

READ: PNP exec, staff sacked for gun permit anomalies

Effective June 1, Santos will be reassigned as officer-in-charge and deputy director of the Civil Security Group (CSG) while Sarona will be the Metro Manila police’s third in command as  deputy regional director for Operations of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Other officers affected by the reorganization are the following:

Chief Supt. Lurimer Detran as officer-in-charge Deputy Director of Directorate for Comptrollership;

Chief Supt. Billy Beltran as officer-in-charge of Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Police;

Chief Supt. Pedro Obaldo Jr. as Deputy Director of Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) – Sourthern Luzon;

Senior Supt. Abad Osit as officer-in-charge Executive Officer of DIPO-VIsayas;

Senior Supt. Valfrie Tabian was reassigned as officer-in-charge of Calabarzon Police;

Senior Supt. Timoteo Pacleb as officer-in-charge Deputy Regional Director for Administration of Calabarzon Police;

Senior Supt. Charlo Collado was reassigned as officer-in-charge, Deputy Regional Director for Administration of Northern Mindanao Police;

Senior Supt. Ramon Purruganan as officer-in-charge, Executive Officer of Directorate for Comptrollership;

Senior Supt. Amando Clifton Empiso as Acting Regional Chief Directorial Staff of NCRPO; and

Senior Supt. Dennis Basngi was reassigned to Special Action Force (SAF);

The new designations were also recommended by the Senior Officers Procurement and Promotion Board (SOPPB). TVJ/rga