At least 80 senior police officers reshuffled
THE PNP’s second and third highest officials have been reassigned to lower positions in a massive revamp ordered by PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., which affected at least 80 senior police officers.
The re-assignment was effective August 8 or five days after Azurin took the helm of the 226,000-strong police force.
The PNP said the movement “aims to provide opportunities and career growth.”
“At the same time, this move shall strengthen and empower strategic offices and units with the placement of more seasoned and experienced senior officers at their helms to further hone the operational and administrative undertakings against criminality, enforcement of the law, and maintenance of peace and order,” Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba, chief of the PNP public information office, said in a statement.
Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, deputy chief for administration and the PNP’s former No. 2 man, is now commander of the Area Police Command-Visayas while the PNP’s former No. 3, deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr, is now commander of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao.
The new posts of Sermonia and Danao are three-star positions, like the posts they are vacating, but these are considered demotions as they will no longer be part of the PNP command group. They lost their role in decision-making for the entire PNP because in their new assignments, they will focus only on supervising operational units in the Visayas and Western Mindanao.
Sermonia and Danao were named to their former posts during the Duterte administration, and played key roles not only in the conduct of peaceful national and local elections in May but also in the continuing fight against COVID-19.
Danao even took over as PNP officer-in-charge a few days before the May elections, in concurrent capacity as PNP deputy chief of operations, when Gen. Dionardo Carlos retired from the police force.
Danao relinquished command of the PNP to Azurin on Wednesday last week during rites held at the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame.
Azurin, before becoming PNP chief, was commander of the Area Police Command-Northern Luzon.
Another official affected by the revamp was Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, former PNP director for operations who was re-assigned to the less-coveted post of PNP director for information and communications technology.
Sermonia, Danao and De Leon were earlier reported to be among the contenders for the top PNP post under the administration of President Marcos Jr.
NEW ASSIGNMENTS
Designated as Sermonia’s successor as PNP deputy chief for administration was the PNP’s No. 4 man, PNP chief director staff Lt. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo.
Danao’s replacement as PNP deputy chief for operations was Maj. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., PNP director for comptrollership.
Maj. Gen. Arthur Bisnar, the PNP director for human resource and doctrine development, will take the post of Malayo as PNP chief directorial staff.
Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, deputy chief of the Area Police Command Southern Luzon, was named as director of the National Capital Region Police.
Estomo replaced Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad who was named the commander of the Area Police Command-Northern Luzon, Azurin’s former post.
Col. Jaysen de Guzman was named director of the Quezon City Police District, replacing Brig. Gen. Remus Medina who was assigned to the PNP Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit.
Named as directors as of the Manila, Northern and Southern police districts were Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon, Col. Ponce Peñones, and Col. Kirby John Kraft, respectively.
Eleven brigadier generals were named directors of police regional offices, namely Bellie Tamayo (Ilocos region), Cesar Pasiwen (Central Luzon), Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr (Calabarzon), Rudolf Dimas (Bicol), Leo Francisco (Western Visayas), Rommel Francisco Marbil (Eastern Visayas), Neil Alinsañgan (Zamboanga Peninsula), Lawrence Coop (Northern Mindanao), Jimili Macaraeg (Soccsksargen), John Guyguyon (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), and Mafelino Bazar Bazar (Cordillera Administrative Region).
Brig Gen. Patrick Villacorte was named commander of the Area Police Command Eastern Visayas.
Some of the other officials affected by the revamp are now Special Action Force director Brig. Gen. Edgard Alan Okubo, now PNP Academy director Brig. Gen. Eric Escosio, now Finance Services director Brig. Gen. Bowenn Joey Masauding, and now Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director Brig. Gen. Ronald Oliver Lee.
Maj. Gen. Domingo Lucas was named director of the National Police Training Institute; Maj. Gen. Michael Dubria, director of the Civil Security Group; Brig. Gen. Clifford Gairanod, director of the Highway Patrol Group; Brig. Gen. Constancio Chinayog, director of Forensic Service; Brig. Gen. Andrew Cayad, director of the Intelligence Group; Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo, Drug Enforcement Group director; Brig. Gen. Joel Doria, Anti-Cybercrime Group director;
Col. Rodolfo Castil Jr, Anti-Kidnapping Group director; Col. Paul Kenneth Lucas, Firearms and Explosive Office chief; Brig. Gen. Flyn Dongbo, director for logistics; Brig. Gen. Westrimundo Obinque, director for comptrollership; Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta, director for operations; Brig. Gen. Alexander Tagum, director for human resource and doctrine development; and Brig. Gen. Antonio Yarra, director for intelligence, Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz, director for investigation and detective management; Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, director for plans.
