POLICE provincial and city directors as well as chiefs of police in Metro Manila who have been at post for more than a year will be replaced in line with the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership’s efforts to ensure they are apolitical ahead of the May 9 national and local elections, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

PNP chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos earlier ordered all 17 Police Regional Office directors and chiefs of different national operational support units to continue identifying and transferring their personnel with relatives gunning for elective posts in their areas of responsibility to prevent them from engaging in partisan politics.

The move was made late last year as part of the PNP leadership’s commitment to bar its members from engaging in partisan politics specifically after the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy for the May polls.

The order is to reassign concerned police officers and men outside cities, municipalities and provinces where their relatives are seeking elective posts. Superiors of these police personnel who would be found to have defied the PNP leadership’s directive will be held accountable for disregarding direct orders.

Camp Crame has cited previous instances in which it received complaints about policemen who actively campaigned for their relatives and intervened on their behalf. Although some of the allegations were found to be false, the PNP leadership decided to issue the directive to prevent perceptions and even suspicions that its members are engaging in partisan political activities especially at the local level.

The PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management headed by Major Gen. Rolando J. Hinanay earlier issued a memorandum to all 17 PRO directors to identify qualified police colonels as possible replacement for PDs and CDs in their respective regions and chiefs of police in Metro Manila.

The memorandum cited the February 10, 2021 Comelec Resolution No. 10695 which prescribed the calendar of activities and periods of certain prohibited acts in connection with the May 9 polls; the PNP Command Memorandum Circular No. 27-2021 issued on August 31 last year which detailed the guidelines and procedures in securing the conduct of the polls; and November 22, 2021 memorandum from the PNP Directorate for Operations which pertains to the rotation of PNP unit commanders, COPs and personnel.

Carlos said that in keeping with their non-partisan stand, the PNP which has been deputized by the Comelec to ensure the holding of a peaceful, secure, honest and orderly polls is managing the early rotation of the following unit commanders.

First, those who have relatives up to the 4th degree of consanguinity/affinity who are seeking elective posts in their areas of responsibility. Second are commanders who have served a two-year tour of duty in their posts within the election period.

Last but not the least are PNP officers and men who are closely related to retired PNP and Armed Forces officers who are running for elective positions in their areas of responsibility and are known for having close association with the candidates in the past.

The PNP-DPRM late last year started conducting an inventory of PDs/CDs and COPs for reshuffling. The move was started amid a recommendation to limit the stint of PDs/CDs and COPs from two years to one year as provided in a proposed policy to further strengthen the PNP placement and promotion system of Third Level Police Commissioned Officers.

So far, a number of police officials colonels holding key positions have been reshuffled.

They include Colonel Romy Palgue who was relieved as Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office director and replaced by Col. Leo Pamittan; Col. Adrian Acollador as new Iloilo PPO director vice Col. Gilbert Gorero; Col. Richard Baluis as Officer-in-Charge of the Guimaras PPO; Col. Alexander Mariano as OIC of the Antique PPO; and Col. Romell Velasco as the new Bataan PPO director vice Col. Joel Tampis.

In Metro Manila, the following have been named to their new posts: Col. Jaime Santos as new Las Piñas City Police Station chief vice Col. Rodel Pastor; Col. Angel Garcillano as new Muntinlupa CPS chief vice Col. Melecio Buslig Jr.; and Col. Robert Baesa as new Taguig CPS chief vice Col. Celso Rodriguez.