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General Azurin show real ‘Strong Leadership’ as he revamps force

August 9, 2022 Alfred P. Dalizon 775 views

Alfred DalizonIN a move to show that he is indeed a strong leader with the full backing of President Bongbong Marcos Jr., PNP chief, General Jun Azurin on Monday ordered a massive revamp of the force which affected over 40 star-rank officials including members of his command group, 12 regional directors, the five Metro Manila police districts and a number of PNP operating units.

Actually, it’s not the 1st time in the PNP’s colorful 31-year history that a reorganization as big as that ordered by Gen. Azurin has taken place in the force. It first happened during the time of the late great President Fidel V. Ramos, .

I still remember that during Tabako’s 1st year in the Palace, then DILG Secretary Raffy Alunan also did the same thing and forced dozens of police generals and colonels to leave their post, some of them permanently resigning from the PNP after not being given a post anymore.

On July 1, 2016, President Duterte’s 1st PNP chief, now Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa also ordered a massive PNP revamp in his 1st day in office, sacking over 30 police officials including senior officers identified with losing presidential candidate Mar Roxas.

Except for a few griping officials, the country in general and the police force in particular fully accepted Gen. dela Rosa’s move which he said is aimed at putting the right people in the right job and enabling them to work with officers he is comfortable with.

The same happened on Monday when Gen. Azurin ordered a top-level revamp which affected over 40 star-rank officials in what has been touted as the biggest reorganization of the force in a single day.

I learned from highly-reliable Journal Group sources that the 28th PNP chief had the full imprimatur of PBBM when he came up with the decision to revamp his officials. Of course, it had to be kept in utmost secrecy to prevent others from ‘calling friends’ that could influence the Chief, PNP’s decision although some were personally told beforehand by Gen. Azurin of his decision.

The PNP chief is also banking on Section 26 of Republic Act 6975 or the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act as amended by RA No. 8551 or the Philippine National Police Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 which gives him full authority over the force.

Section 26 of RA 6975 says that the ‘command and control of the PNP shall be vested in the Chief of the PNP who shall have the power to direct and control tactical as well as strategic movements, deployment, placement, utilization of the PNP or any of its units and personnel, including its equipment, facilities and other resources.

PNP Public Information Office chief, Brigadier Gen. Roderick Alba also said that ”the reorganization of personnel occupying key positions aims to provide opportunities and career growth.”

“At the same time, this move shall strengthen and empower strategic offices and units with the placement of more seasoned and experienced senior officers at their helms to further hone the operational and administrative undertakings against criminality, enforcement of the law, and maintenance of peace and order,” Alba added.

Graduates of the Philippine Military Academy and the PNP Academy occupying key PNP positions were affected by Gen. Azurin’s move as the later completely overhauled his Command Group, Directorial Staff, several Police Regional Offices and National Operational and Administrative Support Units.

He replaced his mistah from PMA Class 1989, Lieutenant Gen. Rhodel Sermonia , the erstwhile PNP Deputy Chief for Administration with another classmate, Lt. Gen. Chiqui Malayo; erstwhile PNP Deputy Chief for Operations, Lt. Gen. Vic Danao of PMA Class 1991 with Major Gen. Benjie Santos and named Major Gen. Ato Bisnar of PMA Class 1990 as the new PNP The Chief Directorial Staff.

He named a number of new Police Regional Office directors namely Maj. Gen. Jong Estomo of PMA Class 1992 as the new NCRPO chief; Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg of PMA Class 1991 as new Police Regional Office 12 director in Central Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Leo ‘Paco’ Francisco of PMA Class 1992 as the new PRO6 director in Western Visayas; Brig. Gen. Neil Alinsañgan of PMA Class 1991 as the new PRO9 director in Western Visayas; Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon of PNPA Class 1991 is the new Bangsamoro Administrative Region police director;

Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop of PNPA Class 1991 as new PRO10 director in Northern Mindanao; Brig. Gen. Rommel Marbil of PMA Class 1991 as new PRO8 director in Eastern Visayas; Brig. Gen. Belli Tamayo of PMA Class 1992 as new PRO1 director in Ilocos-Pangasinan region; Brig. Gen. Rod Dimas of PNPA Class 1992 as the new PRO5 director in Bicol region; Brig. Gen. Tateng Nartatez of PMA Class 1992 as the new PRO4-A director in Calabarzon region; Brig. Gen. Jerry Bearis of PNPA Class 1993 is now the new PRO3 director in Central Luzon; and Brig. Gen. Mafie Bazar of PMA Class 1992 as the new Cordillera police director.

Erstwhile NCRPO chief, Maj. Gen. Pipoy Natividad of PMA Class 1990 will be the new Area Police Command-Northern Luzon commander while erstwhile Cordillera police director, Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee of PMA Class 1992 will be the new Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director vice Maj. Gen. Ely Cruz of PMA Class 1990 who will be the new PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management.

Maj. Gen. Alessandro Abella of PNPA Class 1989 is the new PNP Director for Research and Development; Maj. Gen. Jess Cambay of PMA Class 1989 is the new PNP Director for Comptrollership; erstwhile PRO10 director, Brig. Gen. Benjie Acorda of PMA Class 1991 is the new PNP Director for Intelligence; Brig. Gen. Jon Arnaldo, also of PMA Class 1991 is the new PNP Director for Human Resource and Doctrine Development vice Maj. Gen. Bisnar while Brig. Gen. Bernie Banac of PMA Class 1992, the erstwhile PRO8 director is the new PNP Director for Plans.

Others are Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay of PMA Class 1992, now the PNP Deputy Director for Personnel and Records Management; Brig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo of PMA Class, the erstwhile PRO6 director is now the new PNP Deputy Director for Logistics; Brig. Gen. Samuel Nacion of PNPA Class 1992 is now the new PNP-DIDM deputy director;

Brig. Gen. Patrick Obinque of PMA Class 1992 is now the new PNP Deputy Comptroller; Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta of PMA Class 1991 and Maj. Gen. Val de Leon of PMA Class 1989 swapped positions as Director for Information and Communications Technology and PNP Director for Operations respectively on the other hand.

Brig. Gen. Alex Tagum of PNPA Class 1991 is now the new PNP-DHRDD deputy director; Brig. Gen. Tony Yarra of PMA Class 1991 is now the new PNP Deputy Director for Intelligence; Colonel Robert Morico of PNPA Class 1992 is now with the PNP Directorate for Intelligence;

Bearis was replaced as EPD director by Colonel Wilson Asueta of PNPA Class 1995; Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Cabral of PNPA Class 1992 is the new PNP Training Service director; Brig. Gen. Nic Torre of PNPA Class 1993 is now the new PNPA director; Erstwhile PNP Headquarters Support Service director, Brig. Gen. Clifford Gairanod of PNPA Class 1993 is now the new Highway Patrol Group director while Col. Jaysen de Guzman of PNPA Class 1995, the erstwhile PNP Headquarters Support Service deputy director was transferred to the NCRPO;

Col. Neri Ignacio of PNPA Class 1994 was relieved from the Area Police Command-Northern Luzon and transferred to the PNP Directorate for Logistics; Col. Kirby Kraft of PNPA Class 1994 is the new Southern Police District director; Brig. Gen. Jack Alva of PMA Class 1992 was relieved as PNP-DIDM deputy director and transferred to the PNPA;

Brig. Gen. Yul Cruz of PMA Class 1992 was named as new PNP EOD/K-9 Group director; Brig. Gen. Narcisco Domingo of PNPA Class 1992 was relieved as PRO3-DRDA and named as new PNP Drug Enforcement Group director vice Brig. Gen. Randy Q. Peralta;

Brig. Gen. Joel B. Doria of PNPA Class 1992 was named as new PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group director;

Brig. Gen. Sydney Villaflor of PMA Class 1992 was named as new PNP-CIDG deputy director; Col. Rodolfo Castil Jr. of PNPA Class 1993 was named as new PNP-AKG director vice Brig. Gen. Dimas; Col. Kenneth Lucas of PNPA Class 1995 was relieved as Police Retirement and Benefit Service Administration deputy director and named as new PNP Firearms and Explosives Office director;

Maj. Gen. Alex Sampaga of PNPA Class 1989 was relieved as PNPA director and transferred to the Office of the Chief,PNP; Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon of PNPA Class 1994 is the new Manila Police District director while Col. Rogelio Peñones is the new Northern Police District director vice Cruz.

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