JUST a couple of hours after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presided over a PNP command conference at Camp Crame and left satisfied with the overall police performance, General Benjie Acorda ordered a minor reshuffle of the organization which is the latest in the so-called PNP suspense-drama theater.

Four star-rank officials were named by the top cop to new positions of major responsibility on Thursday with the erstwhile PNP Director for Human Resource and Doctrine Development, Major Gen. Ronald Lee being named as the new PNP Director for Operations.

Lee, a former CIDG director replaced his mistah from Philippine Military Academy ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992, Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco who was designated as the new PNP Director for Investigation and Detective Management.

On the other hand, another PMA Class 1992 member, Brig. Gen. Sidney Villaflor, the erstwhile Police Regional Office 6 director in Western Visayas was named as the new PNP-DHRDD director vice Lee while Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky of PNP Academy ‘Tagapagtaguyod’ Class of 1992 was designated as the new PRO6 director.

Expect a number of changes in other key PNP positions as Gen. Acorda continue to fill-up positions which were left vacant either by the retirement or transfer of their former directors before he finishes his extended term this coming March 31. They include the Area Police Command-Northern Luzon and Eastern Mindanao.

There is still no APC-EM commander more than three months after Gen. Acorda’s classmate from PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991, Lieutenant Gen. Filmore Escobal retired from the service.

An APC-NL commander is also yet to be named to replace new PNP The Chief Directorial Staff Officer-in-Charge, newly-promoted Lt. Gen. Jon Arnaldo, also of PMA Class 1991.

Last week, Gen. Acorda thanked PBBM for approving the promotion to the next higher rank of 15 deserving police star-rank officials led by Lt. Gen. Arnaldo.The PNP chief said the promotion of the 15 “serves as a true testament to their exceptional competence and unwavering efforts.”

Apart from Lt. Gen. Arnaldo, also promoted were PNP Director for Intelligence, Major Gen. Robert Morico and Maj. Gen. Neil Alinsangan, the director of the Directorate for Information Communications and Technology Management.

Arnaldo and Alinsangan are also both PMA Class 1991 members while Morico is another PNPA Class 1992 member.classmates from Philippine Military Academy ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 of Gen. C. Acorda while Morico belongs to PNP Academy ‘Tagapagpatupad’ Class of 1992.

Promoted to the rank of Police Brigadier General are the following: Colonel Christopher Abrahano, the Senior Executive Assistant of the PNP Chief; Col. Manuel Abrugena, the deputy director of the PNP Special Action Force; Col. Nestor Babagay Jr., the Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence;

Col. Jovencio Badua Jr., the Deputy Regional Director for Administration of the Police Regional Office 1 in Ilocos-Pangasinan region; Col. Jerico Baldeo of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office; Col. Dionisio Bartolome Jr., the director of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group;

Col. Aligre Martinez, the DRDA of the PRO4-A in Calabarzon region; Col. Ely Matta, the DRDA of the PRO13 in Caraga region; Col. Noel Sandoval, the Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management;

Col. Roger Simon, the director of the Police Security and Protection Group; Col. Noel Vallo, the Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Logistics; and Col. Luis Maria Pascual , the deputy director of the National Police Training Institute.

Newly-promoted Brigadier Generals Abrugena, Babagay, Bartolome, Matta, Simon and Vallo are all products of PNPA ‘Patnubay’ Class of 1995 while Brig. Generals Abrahano and Pascual belong to PNPA ‘Kaagapay’ Class of 1996.

Brig. Generals Badua, Sandoval and Martinez are both members of PNPA ‘Sandigan’ Class of 1994. Baldeo is a member of PNPA Class 1992.

Expect more full-fledged colonels to be promoted soon. They include my friends, Col Jean Fajardo, the PNP spokesperson and chief of the Public Information Office; Col Florendo Gerdan Jr. of the PNP Engineering Service; and Col. Vic Rosete of the PNP Retirement and Benefits Service Administration Service.

Fajardo is a lawyer from PNPA Class 1996 while Rosete is from PNPA Class 1995. Gerdan is an engineer who joined the police force in 1999. He has been an officer of the PNP-ES since 1999 and under Gen. Acorda became the head of the unit as the latter ensured that under him, deserving technical officers will really command a PNP technical unit just like the PNP-ES.

Gen. Acorda’s move has been welcomed by PNP Technical Officers who in the past have seen their units being headed by ‘outsiders’ or non-technical or Line Officers although Technical Officers have not been able to command a Line Unit, specifically a national operational support unit for so many years now. It’s good to hear that Gen. Acorda has addressed the matter which has caused demoralization among non-PMA and non-PNPA products in the past.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon