TWENTY-NINE generals and colonels were assigned to new positions in a revamp ordered by Gen. Nicolas Torre III about two weeks after becoming PNP chief.
The reshuffle was triggered by, among others, the vacancy left by Torre’s appointment to the top police post, and the need to “put these officers to these positions where their competencies and skills can be utilized,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said yesterday.
“We need to assign the right people (to these positions) especially now that our direction is to give swift service, specially the five-minute police response as well as maximizing police visibility (in the streets),” she added referring to Torre’s quick response program.
Fajardo said more reshuffles are expected as several senior officers are due to retire from the service.
Torre, shortly after assuming the post of PNP chief on June 2, said there will be a reshuffle in the PNP to meet President Marcos Jr’s directive to increase police presence in the streets, and intensify the war against drugs by going after the street-level pushers and drug users.
Torre also said police officers will be assigned to certain positions because they can “bring something to the table” and “not because they are our friends, not because he is from this class, not because he is from a certain area.”
Earlier this week, Torre relieved eight police chiefs in Metro Manila and two provincial police directors for their failure to comply with the program requiring a five-minute response to emergencies.
The 29 reassigned officials were led by Maj. Gen. Robert Alexander Morico who was designated officer-in-charge of the Area Police Command (APC) Visayas.
Morico, outgoing PNP director for research and development, will succeed Lt. Gen. Robert Rodriquez who assumed the post of PNP deputy chief for operations last January.
Rodriguez continued to lead the APC Visayas in the past months, in spite of his designation as PNP deputy chief for operations because his successor had not been named.
In Metro Manila, Brig. Generals Randy Arceo and Arnold Abad were named directors of the Southern Police District and Northern Police District, respectively.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Macapaz was designated as the director of the Criminal Investigation Group, the post held by Torre before assuming as chief last June 2.
Seven officials were designated regional police directors — Brig. Generals Jack Wanky who will leading the Calabarzon police regional office, Ponce Rogelio Peñones (Western Visayas), Joseph Arguelles (Davao region), Jaysen de Guzman (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), Josefino Ligan (Ilocos region), Dindo Reyes (Cagayan Valley), and Rolindo Suguilon (Northern Mindanao).
The 18 other officers given new assignments were Brig. Generals Frankie Candelario (PNP deputy director for intelligence), Lou Evangelista (PNP deputy director for logistics), Antonio Marallag Jr (PNP deputy director for operations), Jerry Protacio (Information Technology Management Service director), Paul Kenneth Lucas (deputy director for administration at the National Capital Region Police Office), Melencio Buslig Jr (deputy director for administration of the Mimaropa regional police office), Christopher Abecia (Maritime Group director), Jonas Amparo (Retirement and Benefits Administration Service director), Glicerio Cansilao (Anti-Kidnapping Group director), Jason Capoy (Aviation Security Group director), Martin Defensor Jr (Finance Service director), Edwin Quilates (Drug Enforcement Group director), Noel Vallo (Logistics Support Service director), Ross Alvarado (PNP director for research and development),
Leon Victor Rosete (Human Rights Affairs Office director), and Warren Gaspar Tolito (PNP Academy chief of staff); and Colonels David Poklay (Intelligence Group director), and Felix Verbo Jr (deputy director for administrator of the National Police Training Institute).
