Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has ordered a sweeping reshuffle involving almost 80 ranking police officials, including the three top posts of the force’s command group.
Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., who was PNP officer-in-charge before Azurin’s appointment, was removed as Deputy Chief for Operations (DCO) and was designated as head of the Area Police Command (APC) Western Mindanao.
Danao was replaced by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Santos as DCO.
Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia was also removed as Deputy Chief for Administration (DCA) and was reassigned as chief of the APC in the Visayas.
Sermonia was replaced by Lt. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo, the former chief of the directorial staff (TCDS) Maj. Gen. Arthur Bisnar left his post as chief of the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development (DHRDD) to serve as Malayo’s replacement at the TCDS.
“The reorganization of personnel occupying key positions aims to provide opportunities and career growth,” said PNP Public Information Office chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba in a statement.
“At the same time, this move shall strengthen and empower strategic offices and units with the placement of more seasoned and experienced senior officers at their helms to further hone the operational and administrative undertakings against criminality, enforcement of the law, and maintenance of peace and order,” Alba added.
Other senior officials who were moved to new posts include the following:
Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo – acting director, National Capital Region Police Office;
Maj. Gen. Alessandro Abella – from APC Northern Luzon to the Directorate for Research and Development (DRD);
Maj. Gen. Michael John Dubria – from the Directorate for Intelligence to serve as director of the Civil Security Group (CSG);
Maj. Gen. Domingo Lucas – from DRD to the National Police Training Institute;
Maj. Gen. Alexander Sampaga – from the Philippine National Police
Academy (PNPA) to Office of the Chief PNP (OCPNP);
Maj. Gen. Jesus Cambay Jr. – from CSG to Directorate for Comptrollership (DC);
Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz – from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM);
Maj. Gen. Patrick Villacorte – acting commander, APC Eastern Mindanao;
Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad – from NCRPO chief to acting commander, APC Northern Luzon;
Maj. Gen. Filmore Escobal – acting deputy commander, APC Visayas; and
Maj. Gen. Valeriano de Leon – from director for operations (DO) to chief of Directorate for Information and Communication Technology (DICTM).
