NEW Police Regional Office 8 director, Brigadier General Rommel Cabagnot is really in a tough grind as the Philippine National Police headquarters and the whole of Eastern Visayas will be keeping their eyes on him as he commands the regional police force.

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Cabagnot, a teammate from the PNP Executive Basketball Team this time needs all the luck in the world to ensure that the decision to designate him as PRO8 director six months before his retirement won’t disappoint his benefactors and other supporters and won’t turn the heads of local politicians who rooted for other candidates.

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First, he needs to equal if not surpass the accomplishments made by his predecessor, now retired Brig. Gen. Ronald de Jesus and all the other past Eastern Visayas police commanders when it comes to fighting the New People’s Army and arresting illegal drugs and other forms of criminality and corruption in the region. De Jesus is from PNP Academy Class 1989 while Cabagnot is from PNPA Class 1991.

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However, although I fully agree with the PNP policy that all placement and promotion to third-level positions shall at all times be based on merit and fitness, it’s also high time to review the policy that allows the designation—except of the PNP chief—to positions of major responsibility although they have less than a year, or barely six months left in service.

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At present, except for the Chief,PNP, the Camp Crame and National Police Commission policy states that no PNP member who has less than one (1) year of service before reaching the compulsory retirement age shall be promoted to a higher rank or designated to any other position that calls for a higher rank.

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There is no policy when it comes to placement to higher positions of those who have less than a year left in the force, thus, there have been suggestions for DILG Secretary and Napolcom chief, Secretary Ed Año and the PNP leadership to review this particular policy which has been a source of ‘friction,’ an ‘irritant’ in the organization.

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Why? It’s because many officers really dream of getting their star-rank with the high hopes and aspiration that weeks or months later, they will have the chance to become a Police Regional Director or an RD. This result to unavoidable jockeying for positions with the help of political bigwigs, in full violation of their ethical doctrines.

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The PNP code of professional conduct and ethical doctrine says that all its members should act in a manner that would reflect best on the PNP and live by the PNP’s core values. It also bars the police from seeking ‘political patronage’ saying that PNP members shall inhibit themselves from soliciting political patronage on matters pertaining to assignment, award,, training and promotion.

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As I have previously written, Cabagnot, the erstwhile Chief Regional Staff of the National Capital Region Police Office this week was named as the new PRO8 director replacing de Jesus who retired last Wednesday at the age of 56 after serving as Eastern Visayas police commander for 11 months or since September 9 last year.

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The husband of popular GMA-7 reporter Marisol Abdurahman, the new PRO8 director made history after he became the 1st Regional Chief Directorial Staff in any of the 17 Police Regional Offices to become a police regional director. He also became the 1st member of PNPA Class 1991 to become a police regional director.

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Cabagnot, other generals told me should not be ‘faulted’ for getting his position although they said he must show he is worthy of the trust and confidence of the PNP leadership headed by General Gilor Eleazar.

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The erstwhile 4th highest official of the NCRPO even ‘outclassed’ the Deputy Regional Directors for Administration and Operations of the NCRPO, Brig. Generals Benjie Acorda and Jon A. Arnaldo with his new assignment. Cabagnot became the NCRPO’s 4th highest official on August 24, 2020 and was promoted to his present rank last January 15, or nearly five months later.

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Cabagnot will retire from the police force on February 18 next year, barely six months from now or in the thick of the PNP preparations for the forthcoming presidential and national elections in May 2022.

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Thus, he will be leaving the PRO8 which has supervision over the vote-rich provinces of n Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte and the cities of Tacloban and Ormoc three months before the actual elections, with the PNP leadership again set to designate a replacement weeks before the actual polls.

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KUDOS TO TOP NCRPO OFFICERS, MEN FETED FOR GOOD POLICE-COMMUNITY WORK

On a personal note, I would like to mention outstanding officers and men and units of the National Capital Region Police Office in the field of police-community relationship who were awarded this week for the good job they have been playing to help and protect the public since the start of the pandemic. San Miguel Corporations’ top honcho, Mr. Ramon S. Ang, represented by Mr. Nap Magno, was the guest of honor and speaker during the event.

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NCRPO director, Major Gen. Vic Danao said these personnel are being feted for strengthening the relationship between the police and all sectors of the community in order to help alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and at the same time seek public support in fighting criminality, illegal drugs and terrorism in Metro Manila.

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The unit awardees were the Southern Police District headed by Brigadier Gen. Jimili Macaraeg; the NCRPO’’s 6th Regional Mobile Force Company headed by Major Vilmer Miralles; the Mandaluyong City Police Station under Colonel Gauvin Mel Unos; the Pateros Municipal Police Station headed by Col. Aldrine Gran, the Manila Police District Station 4 in Sampaloc under Lieutenant Col. Gene Licud and the Quezon City Police District Station 3 headed by Lt. Col. Cipriano Galanida.

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Individual awardees were the following: Parañaque City police chief, Col. Maximo Sebastian; and NCRPO personnel, Maj. Chanda Monte, Police Executive Master Sergeant Leo Aguila, Corporal Romel Buhangin and Non-Uniformed Personnel Josie Austero.

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Others were QCPD director, Brig. Gen. Tony Yarra; Eastern Police District director, Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay; NCRPO RMFB force commander, Col. Lambert Suerte; Col. Julius Suriben, the chief of the NCRPO Regional Community-Affairs Division; Major Eric Cister, the chief of the EPD District Community-Affairs Development Division; Lt. Col. Beverly de Guzman, the chief of the NCRPO Medical Dispensary; Maj. Gian Napoleon Baquiran, Senior MSgt. Domingo Herrera; Cpl. Allan Caponga; Cpl. Glorylyn Gelogo and Cpl. Jefferson Quinto.

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Also presented the Pulis Magiting Award for demonstrating extraordinary acts of courage beyond the call of duty and serving as good examples to the rest of the police force Master Sgt.. Charito Desmaya of the QCPD and Staff Sgt. Alas Djuali and SSgt. Reynold Aguirre of the SPD.