PNP chief, General Benjie Acorda is really on his way to mending a ‘polarized’ police force by placing the right man on the right job. My unsolicited advice to him is to take care of his officials who are known for their solid track record and good service reputation but failed to occupy good positions or worse, were even unceremoniously relieved from their posts in the past for reasons beyond the comprehension of the police leadership.

Indeed, the recent race for the top PNP position may have been won by the ‘Gentleman from the North’ has turned out to be one of the most heated PNP contest with different groups rooting for different candidates. This has prompted Gen. Acorda to launch his own battlecry called ‘Serbisyong Nagkakaisa’ as he called for unity in the organization.

Now, Gen. Acorda, with the full backing of PBBM is silently picking his trusted classmates from PMA ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991 and other officials with good service reputation to form his own team. No more chance for officials who failed to do their job in the past but were able to get sensitive positions again due to their connections.

He has named his mistahs, Lieutenant Gen. Mike Dubria and Major Gen. Boy Peralta as the PNP Deputy Chief for Operations and The Chief Directorial Staff, the 3rd and 4th highest position in the 228,000-strong force respectively.

The former PNP-DCO, Major Gen. Jonnel Estomo of PMA ‘Tanglaw-Diwa’ Class of 1992 was designated as the new PNP Director for Plans vice his classmate Maj. Gen. Bernie Banac who was named as the new PNP Director for Information Communications and Technology Management.

Another member of PMA Class 1992, Brigadier Gen. Leo Francisco was named as the new PNP Director for Operations vice Maj. Gen. Peralta. I was told by my sources that the PNP leadership is still scouting for an official who will replace Francisco as Police Regional Office 6 director in Western Visayas as of press time.

I pray that my friend Maj. Gen. Estomo would be able to weather the storm that hit him. It’s really not the end of the world Sir. Actually, he former Metro Manila police director who will be retiring from the police force on November 25 next year could have gotten his 3rd-star when he was designated as PNP-DCO last February upon the recommendation of DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos.

However, many of my sources said that it was already too late when Sec. Abalos realized that appointing Maj. Gen. Estomo as the PNP-DCO violated PNP policies on the selection of members of the PNP Command Group. Thus, the current PNP chief made rhe decision to replace the latter with his classmate to correct a wrong that has been done.

On Monday, I was listening when the 2nd highest PNP official said PBBM picked the right guy to become the 29th PNP chief in the person of Gen. Acorda saying the latter could really bring back unity in the highly-polarized organization.

“The Philippine National Police should be truly thankful to the President, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his choice of new leadership for the police organization. Personally, I am happy for him for I know deep in my heart that this is the man who can uplift the morale of our personnel and mend the polarized sentiments at all levels within the organization,” saidLt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia.

Lt. Gen. Sermonia, the only remaining member of Philippine Military Academy ‘Makatao’ Class of 1989 in the PNP was also one of the candidates to replace Gen. Azurin, his PMA classmate.

However, President Marcos picked Gen. Acorda’, known as ‘the humble servant from the Solid North’ who has been known for his ‘Serbisyong Nagkakaisa’ slogan as his 2nd top cop last April 24.

“I believe that this is the man who came just at the right moment to unite us all. Sabi niya nga, gusto ko Everybody’s Happy and I am optimistic that under his watch, tunay na gaganda ang buhay nating lahat na kapulisan,” the PNP’s no. 2 man said when he introduced Gen. Acorda during their flag-raising rites at Camp Crame.

Lt. Gen. Sermonia said that Gen. Acorda is a ‘man whose authority now vested upon him did not change the humility inside him and remained modest, unpretentious and full of gratitude and respect to everyone.”

He even described the new PNP chief as a ‘silent achiever or performer’ from their days in the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in 2011 to 2013. As I have written in a previous column, Gen. Acorda revealed that before PBBM named his as the 29th PNP chief, he and Lt. Gen. Sermonia have been in constant talk and each of them have promised to support whoever will win the race.

On Tuesday, I was also present when Gen. Acorda called on all his newly-promoted officials to ensure they will be upholding institutional development and not use their rank for their own personal interests.

For the top cop, every PNP officer and men should bear in their minds that ‘institution first before self’ is what they need to observe in order for the organization to be truly professional.

“Use your rank in upholding institutional development. Your promotion is a testament to your hard work and dedication to service, a reflection of your outstanding performance,” he told nine newly-promoted star-rank officers who took their oath of office before him at the Camp Crame Multi-Purpose Center.

The nine were led by newly-promoted Major Generals Rod Dimas, Victor Wanchakan and Harold Tuzon. The others are new Police Brigadier Generals Vic Arevalo, Lex. Gurat, Kenneth Lucas, Red Maranan, Ricky Mariano and Alfredo Dangani.

I would like to congratulate the nine, all PNP Academy graduates for a well-deserved promotion which meant only one thing: their resignation was not accepted by PBBM.

My good friend Maj. Gen. Dimas, the PNP Special Action Force director is a member of PNPA Class 1992 while Wanchakan of PNPA Class 1991 is currently the Deputy Director of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao. Tuzon of PNPA Class 1990 is currently the Deputy Director of the APC-Eastern Mindanao.

Arevalo, a member of PNPA Class 1994 is currently the director of the Center for Police Strategy Management while Gurat of PNPA Class 1992 is the Regional Chief Directorial Staff of the National Capital Region Police Office.

Newly-promoted Brig. Generals Lucas, Maranan , Dangani and Mariano are all products of PNPA Class 1995. Lucas is the director of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office while Maranan is the chief of the PNP Public Information Office.

Mariano is the Deputy Regional Director for Administration of the Police Regional Office 13 in Caraga region while Dangani is assigned at the PNPA headquarters. Young members of the PNPA Class 1995 led by Maranan are expected to be a force to reckon with once the last member of PMA Class 1992, incoming Maj. Gen. Tateng Nartatez, now the PNP Director for Intelligence retires on March 2027.

I believe that the promotion of the nine really opened the ‘floodgates’ for the other senior PNP officials whose promotion have been delayed by the call of Sec. Abalos for all 3rd-Level PNP Officers to tender their courtesy resignation before the Chief Executive. last January Expect similar donning of rank ceremonies in the coming days ahead. Congratulations my friends.