By Martin Sadongdong
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Friday announced the newest round of revamps among its ranks involving at least 26 police officials, including a district director and three city commanders in Metro Manila.
On the orders of PNP Chief Police Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, relieved from their posts effective Thursday were Southern Police District (SPD) director Police Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan, Pasay City Police chief Col. Bernard Yang, Muntinlupa City Police chief Col. Gerard Umayao, and Caloocan City Police chief Col. Noel Flores.
Bathan has since been re-assigned to the position of deputy regional director for operations of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), while the top SPD post was given in an acting capacity to Police Col. Emmanuel Peralta.
Yang, Umayao, and Flores were transferred to the NCRPO Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU).
Meanwhile, seven station commanders and personnel in Metro Manila were also affected by the revamp.
Also relieved were:
-Major Fortunato Ecle Jr. of Quezon City Police Station 7;
-Major Joebi Astucia of Caloocan City Police Station 3;
-Major Merben Bryan Lago of Caloocan Police Station 5;
-Captain Rommel Bulan of Pasay Police Station 1;
-Major Marvin Oloan of Pasay Police Station 3;
-Major Christopher Mercado of Muntinlupa Police Station 2; and
-Major Elmer Gutierrez of Muntinlupa Police Station 2.
They were all reassigned to the NCRPO-RPHAU.
Gamboa provided no immediate reason as to the movement of the officials.
However, NCRPO director Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said the station commanders were relieved for their supposed failure to curb illegal gambling in their areas of responsibility.
Meanwhile, the three city commanders were uprooted for command responsibility over the same issue, Sinas added.
Gamboa also transferred 14 personnel to his office effective Wednesday (Feb. 5).
Moved to the Office of the Chief, PNP were:
-Brig. Gen. Allan Cuevillas of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Northern Luzon (DIPO-NL);
-Brig. Gen. Alex Sintin of the Directorate for Information and Communications Technology Management (DICTM);
-Col. Dominic Baccay of the Special Action Force (SAF);
-Col. Rex Derilo of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Police Regional Office (PRO-BARMM);
-Col. Clifford Gairanod of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG);
-Col. Raymund Liguden of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG);
-Col. Manuel Lukban Jr. of the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (PHAU-DPRM);
-Col. Florendo Saligao, of the DIPO-Western Mindanao;
-Lt. Col. Leonardo Angcon of the PHAU-DPRM;
-Lt. Col. Eduard Chan of the Engineering Service (ES);
-Lt. Col. Reycel Dayon of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM);
-Lt. Col. Alfredo de Guzman, of the Aviation Security Group (AVSEGROUP);
-Lt. Col. Reynaldo Maclang of the AVSEGROUP; and
-Lt. Col. Reynante Sibayton of the Directorate for Intelligence (DI).
The last to be affected by the revamp was Police Col. Lawrence Cajipe, who was designated acting provincial director of the Bulacan provincial police office replacing Colonel Emma Libunao.
Libunao was among the nine officials earlier ordered reshuffled by Gamboa.
Aside from Libunao, Gamboa had also ordered the transfer of Brig. General Albert Ignatius Ferro.
From being NCRPO deputy director for operations, Ferro was designated acting regional director of the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO-7).
Ferro replaced Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, who was assigned to the Office of the Chief, PNP.
Col. Gil Tria of the HPG and five other middle-ranking officers were also transferred to the Office of the Chief, PNP.