By Chito Chavez Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año designated Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Deputy Chief for Administration Jail Chief Superintendent Allan S. Iral as the agency’s officer-in-charge (OIC), replacing former BJMP chief Deogracias Tapayan who has reached the mandatory retirement age of 56 on March 27. In Wednesday’s simple rites held at BJMP National Headquarters, Iral emphasized the importance of continuity of the bureau’s ongoing programs as enumerated in the agency’s long term development plan. “The order of the day is to ensure that all BJMP offices and jail units are drug and corrupt-free while the agency and its personnel co-serve in a culture of service excellence, integrity and professionalism”, said Iral in his acceptance speech. Iral also thanked President Duterte and Año for the trust and confidence bestowed on him vowing to lead the BJMP with honor and integrity. “To my colleagues in the profession, the cause of the office we hold, demands that we dispose of our functions, in utmost integrity,” Iral said. In designating Iral as BJMP chief, Año described Iral as a “great and able man” with vast experience and long list of credentials. “Allan, you have been entrusted with more than 13,000 jail officers and non-uniformed personnel (to lead). Mataas ang inaasahan ko sayo (I have a high degree of expectation in you),” said Año. The DILG chief also thanked the outgoing Bureau Chief Jail Director Tapayan for his pioneering programs in eliminating illicit drug trade in jails, cleaning the bureau’s ranks and lowering congestion rate of jail facilities. “I will not be surprised if Chief Deo will find another way of serving the country in the future either in another government post or private capacity,” Año noted. A member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Sandigan” Class of 1995, Iral is the most senior general of the BJMP and is highly regarded as the most competent executive of the bureau to succeed the outgoing chief. Iral has held key positions in the BJMP. He is a former Director for Operations, Director for Personnel Management and Human Resource, and Director for Logistics, and former Regional Director of Central Visayas and Davao Region. Before his appointment as Officer-in-Charge, he rose through the offices of the BJMP Command Group from Chief of Directorial Staff, Deputy Chief for Operations, Deputy Chief for Administration and now as Head of the agency. Iral was a recipient of Lakan Distinguished Award, the highest award for PNPA Alumni, Senior Officer of the Year and Junior Officer of the Year, the most coveted national award in the BJMP among staff officers, the City Jail of the Year during his stint as Warden of Davao City Jail and Regional Office of the Year during his tenure as Regional Director of BJMP Region 11 and 7. The new BJMP chief is also a holder of seven civil service eligibilities namely Career Executive Service Eligibility (CESE), Career Service Executive Eligibility (CSEE), Civil Service Professional, License for Teacher, Police Inspector and Police Superintendent eligibilities and Second Level Eligibility per PD 907 for graduating Cum Laude in college. Before the turnover ceremony was the donning of ranks for six newly promoted Jail Chief Superintendents namely: JCSUPT RINCO T MONTAUS, Director for Comptrollership, JCSUPT CLEMENT LABOY, Director for Intelligence, JCSUPT LOUIE C MUÑOZ, Regional Director BJMP Region X, JCSUPT ARNEL GONGONA, Regional Director BJMP Region VI, JCSUPT AMELIA RAYANDAYAN, Regional Director BJMP Region XI and JCSUPT REBECCA PAWID, the Regional Director Region I.