PNP reshuffles 7 officials
MANILA, Philippines — A month before his mandatory retirement, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa approved a revamp in the organization affecting seven ranking police officials.
The reshuffling of key officials comes as the PNP is preparing to return to the war on illegal drugs as ordered by President Duterte.
PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos over the weekend said a top-level reorganization of senior police officials occupying key positions in the directorial staff, national support units and police regional offices takes effect today.
Carlos said the recommendation for a revamp came from the Senior Officers’ Placement and Promotion Board (SOPPB) due to the impending retirement of Director Manuel Felix, former director for the Integrated Police Operations in Western Mindanao (DIPO-WM).
Dela Rosa is still in an official mission abroad and PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario will preside the turnover of command in a simple ceremony at noon today in the main conference room at the national headquarters.
Apolinario was reported to be the next PNP chief upon the retirement of Dela Rosa on Jan. 21 as announced by President Duterte during a closed-door command conference with police and military generals in Malacañang on Dec. 5.
But the PNP, Malacañang and Apolinario refused to confirm the reports pending the President’s official announcement.
In the latest reshuffle, Chief Supt. Cedric Train is now the acting DIPO-WM while the the following officials were named directors of various units: Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales - Regional Office 12 (SOCKSARGEN); Chief Supt. Rodelio Jocson - Maritime Group (MARIG); Chief Supt. Renato Angara - Information Technology Management Service (ITMS); and Chief Supt. Joseph Adnol - Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).
Senior Superintendent Petronillo Baldebrin is now the deputy regional director for administration, Police Regional Office 2 (Cagayan Valley).
Senior Supt. Albert Ignatius Ferro was designated as head of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), replacing Adnol.
Carlos confirmed Ferro’s new assignment.
Ferro used to head the Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) that Dela Rosa disbanded last January after some of its officers were implicated in the kidnapping and murder of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo last year.
The President also removed the PNP and other law enforcement agencies from the illegal drug operations amid the killings of teenagers that sparked outrage.
But Duterte decided to bring back the police into the drug war, saying the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency cannot do the job alone.
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