Regional police officials hail appointment of new PNP chief

Regional police officials welcomed President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's announcement of Oscar Calderon as the new chief of the Philippine National Police replacing Director General Arturo Lomibao who will retire today.

Deputy regional police director for administration Ronald Roderos said Calderon, the deputy chief for administration of the PNP, has long experience in the police service.

Calderon, a member of the PMA Class 1973, is a three-star general holding the position of deputy director general. He is the concurrent chief of Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response.

Calderon also served as chief of the Criminal Investigation Service, now the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, in Cebu with provincial police director Vicente Loot under his command.

Roderos also expressed confidence that with Calderon's appointment, there will be no reorganization of regional police officials since the preparation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation Summit has already started.

He added that regional police director Silverio Alarcio Jr. was handpicked for his expertise in security operation for the ASEAN Summit.

However, Roderos believed that there might be reassignment of police officials in line with next year's election. - Gregg M. Rubio