By Aaron Recuenco
The spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP) joined on Wednesday the long list of police generals after President Duterte approved his promotion along with six other senior officials.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
From Senior Superintendent (colonel in military rank), it will now be Chief Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. after Malacanang transmitted a letter dated September 18 to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regarding his promotion.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1988, Durana is considered as one of the best educated senior officers of the PNP, being a Harvard University alumnus.
He is a graduate of Edward S. Mason Program on Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School for mid‐career Master in Public Administration in 2013.
In addition, the Durana has a degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Peace and Peace and Security Administration from Bicol University (2004) and Master in Public Administration at the University of the Philippines (1996).
Prior to his new assignment, he was the team leader of the Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations in Italy for two years.
Aside from Durana, also promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent (equivalent to Brigadier General in the military) were Bernabe Mendoza, Rodolfo Azurin. Bernabe Balba, Gerry Galvan, Madid Paitao, and Mario Rariza.
Chiquito Malayo, the former commander of the PNP’s anti-scalawag unit Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF), was also promoted to Chief Superintendent.
On the other hand, Roderick Minong was promoted to Senior Superintendent.