FIFTY-FOUR senior and mid-level police officers, including the “killer” of the abductor of former senator Leila de Lima inside her detention cell in Camp Crame last October, were promoted to the next higher rank.
Interior Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr announced the promotion of the officers yesterday at the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office in Taguig City.
Abalos, along with PNP and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency officials, were at the NCRPO headquarters for the launching of the anti-drug program “Buhay ay Ingatan, Droga ay Ayawan” or “BIDA.”
The promoted officers were led Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, commander of the Area Police Command-Southern Luzon, who now has the rank of lieutenant general.
Eight brigadier generals were promoted to the rank of major general, including Jonnel Estomo, the NCRPO director; and Bernard Banac, the PNP director for logistics.
The six other new major generals are Jon Arnaldo (PNP director for human resource and doctrine development), Mario Reyes (PNP director for police community relations), Eric Noble (PNP Academy director), Ritchie Posadas (deputy commander of the Area Police Command-Southern Luzon), Emmanuel Peralta (PNP director for operations), and Edgar Alan Okubo (Special Action Force director).
Twenty-one colonels were promoted to the rank of brigadier general and 24 lieutenant colonels were promoted to colonel.
One of the colonels promoted to brigadier general is Mark Pespes, commander of the PNP Headquarters Support Service in Camp Crame.
Pespes was among those who responded to the botched escape of Abu Sayyaf leader Idang Susukan, and Daulah Islamiyah members Arnel Cabintoy and Feliciano Sulayao Jr from the PNP Custodial Center at Camp Crame on October 9.
Susukan and Cabintoy were shot by a sniper after they stabbed and wounded a policeman who was delivering food for the detainees, during their planned escape.
Sulayao ran to De Lima’s cell after a guard locked the exit door of the jail facility, tied and blindfolded her and took her hostage.
Pespes negotiated for De Lima’s release for about 15 minutes. He fatally shot Sumayao while he giving drinking water to Sumayao who threatened to kill De Lima.
De Lima, who has been detained at the PNP jail facility since 2017 on drug-related charges, was not hurt during the hostage-taking incident.
Abalos urged the newly-promoted officers to help in government’s intensified war against illegal drugs.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr thanked Abalos, chairman of the National Police Commission, for the promotion of the police officers.
“This is a very good Christmas present to our policemen, that finally their promotion came out,” said Azurin.
