Verzosa appointed new PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines – President Arroyo has appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Jesus Verzosa as the new chief of the 125,000-strong police force when Director General Avelino Razon Jr. retires on Sept. 27.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Mrs. Arroyo informed him of the new PNP chief’s appointment just before she boarded a chartered flight to New York at the Centennial Terminal late Sunday night.

“She’s coming back on the 27th to be present during the turnover ceremonies (at the PNP headquarters) in Camp Crame,” Ermita told reporters.

He said he did not ask the President why Verzosa was chosen to succeed Razon, but pointed out the incoming PNP chief “is already the next in line in the hierarchy in the PNP.”

“I suppose that (next in line) was the reason he was placed there… although it does not always have to be like that, but in this particular case, similar to what happened when General Razon was designated as chief PNP, he was the deputy director general for administration. Following the same scheme, the next in command was chosen by the President,” he said.

Ermita earlier said it was likely that Mrs. Arroyo would give Razon a new post due to his long experience in security matters.

Verzosa is currently the PNP deputy chief for administration, a post he has held since 2007.

He was director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in 2006 and Regional Director for Region 4 in 2005. The previous year, he was head of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera Region.

Among the other key posts that he held were director of the Intelligence Group in 2003 and director of the Aviation Security Group in 2002.

Verzosa graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in 1976 and one of his classmates is Armed Forces chief Gen. Alexander Yano.

He also has a law degree and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Meantime, President Arroyo is reportedly planning to create a new office to accommodate Razon who is reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 on Sept. 27.

A reliable source said the President will create the “Public Safety and Security” office and Razon will be appointed as its head. The source, however, could not say what will be the composition of the new office.– With Non Alquitran, Cecille Suerte Felipe