Gov. Lacson taps Wenceslao to lead Negros Occidental police
WENCESLAO
BACOLOD CITY – Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has selected Police Col. Dennis Wenceslao to lead the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office based in this highly-urbanized city.
“He (Wenceslao) is my choice. I went to the same process as I chose the previous provincial directors,” the governor said on Friday.
Lacson said that Wenceslao is from Nueva Ecija. He was assigned as chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division of Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) before his reassignment to Nocppo.
Wenceslao replaced Police Col. Rainerio de Chavez, who was relieved by the Philippine National Police (PNP) national headquarters effective Sept. 5.
“I’m happy and I am confident that he can do a good job as our provincial director,” Lacson said.
He emphasized the significance of maintaining peace and order in the province. “That’s always been our clamor.”
Lacson has yet to meet Wenceslao but has directed him to reach out to all local chief executives and visit them in their offices.
The governor said that he has no complaints on the performance of De Chavez who served the province for one year and a half, amid the series of insurgency-related killings in northern Negros Occidental.
“He’s always been there and he wanted to stay longer but I think he’s been given a special assignment in Camp Crame at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG),” Lacson said.
Despite Lacson’s pronouncement, the PRO-NIR is waiting for the official order on Wenceslao’s designation to Nocppo.
Lacson acknowledged that insurgency-related killings in the province are a concern right now.
He said the New People’s Army (NPA) has been very active and eyeing very soft targets. “It’s just their way of saying they are still around,” he added.
Lacson stressed that the Philippine Army and the police are finding ways to immediately stop these killings.
“We’re continuously calling on them to join us in the government just like their former comrades, as these killings do no good for the province,” Lacson said.