The new chiefs of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday, Aug. 1.
The PNP expressed its utmost support to Police Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as the 28th national police chief.
“The entire 226,000-strong men and women of the Philippine National Police pledge to support the new leadership of the organization after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Police Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as the new and 28th Chief of the Philippine National Police,” said Police Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, chief of PNP public information office.
Azurin replaces Police Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao who served as PNP Officer-in-Charge (OIC) since the tail-end of former President Duterte’s administration.
Alba said that under Azurin’s direction, the PNP will sustain its momentum to carry out the organization’s mission and deliver its mandate “with utmost integrity, credibility and professionalism,” and for the safety and protection of the Filipino people.
Meanwhile, Malacanang disclosed that Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro, a Medal of Valor awardee, will serve as the 58th AFP Chief of Staff.
He will succeed General Andres Centino who took office on Nov. 12, 2021 and who is supposed to retire in February 2023.
The Department of National Defense (DND) welcomed the appointment of Bacarro, who will be the first key officer in the military that got appointed after Republic Act No. 11709 took effect last July 1. The new law mandates, among others, a fixed tour of duty of three years for the AFP Chief of Staff and other officers holding key positions.
“Lieutenant General Bacarro’s appointment as Chief of Staff bodes well for the AFP as he will be given a longer period to implement reforms and institutionalizes policies that will redound to the benefit of the organization,” said DND Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr.
“We also extend our profound gratitude to General Andres C. Centino, and wish him well as he embarks on a new chapter of his career,” said Faustino, who bared that Centino will be given a new post that is yet to be disclosed.
Background
Azurin is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Makatao” Class of 1989. He is the incumbent commander of the Northern Luzon police area which covers Ilocos (Region 1) – the bailiwick of Marcos, Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
He was also the former commander of the Southern Luzon police area covering Calabarzon (Region-4A), Mimaropa (Region-4B), and Bicol (Region 5).
He held star-rank positions in Camp Crame as director of the Directorate for Comptrollership (DC) and Directorate for Information and communications Technology and Management (DICTM).
He also led the PNP Maritime Group (MG) and the Police Regional Office 1 in Ilocos. As a middle-grade police officer, he served as the provincial director of Benguet, chief of Task Force Limbas of the Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG), and deputy operations officer of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF).
During his younger years, he was assigned to various field units and offices including the 1st Special Action Company in Maguindanao; 231st Philippine Constabulary (PC) Company in Quezon Province; Police Aviation Security Command (now Aviation Security Group); Criminal Investigation Service Command (now Criminal Investigation and Detection Group), and Office of Internal Security.
He was also assigned at the Police Community Relations Group (now Police Community Affairs and Development Group), and Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.
Meanwhile, Bacarro is the incumbent commanding officer of the Southern Luzon Command (SolCom).
He is a member of the PMA “Maringal Class of 1988.”
In 1991, then 2nd Lt. Bacarro was serving as the commander of the 6th CAFGU Auxilliary Company, 21st Infantry Battalion under the 5th Infantry Division when they figured in a fierce firefight with around 150 New People’s Army rebels in Maconacon, Isabela.
His unit fought against the communist guerillas for 10 hours after the enemies attacked Maconacon on January 26 to 27, 1991. They were successful in defending the town despite the overwhelming number of armed insurgents and the lack of air and artillery fire support.
This earned him the country’s highest military award for courage, the Medal of Valor.
In 2019, Bacarro resigned as the Commandant of Cadets at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) due to the hazing death of rookie cadet Darwin Dormitorio.