Five ranking police officials have been included in the latest reorganization of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Based on PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr.’s order dated Nov. 17 that took effect on the same date, Director for Information and Communication Technology Management (DICTM) Maj. Gen. Bernard Banac is now the Director of the Special Action Force (SAF), replacing Maj. Gen. Rudolph Dimas, who was assigned to head the Directorate for Plans (DPL).
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Neil Alinsañgan from DPL will head the DICTM in lieu of Banac, while Brig. Gen. John Chua, former Police Regional Office – Ilocos (PRO – 1), will be the chief of the Area Police Command (APC) in the Visayas.
Brig. Gen. Lou Evangelista, director of Police Community Affairs and Development Group (PCADG), will replace Chua at PRO – 1, while Col. Restituto Arcangel will be the PCADG director.
Acorda, who is retiring on Dec. 3, previously said he has no plans of implementing a massive reshuffle.
“If there are any changes in the command because of vacancies, if somebody is retiring or there are problems with commanders on the ground, that’s the only time we do a reshuffle. It’s only done to fill up vacancies that will be created,” he said.
The PNP earlier reassured the public there is no brewing destabilization plot as it dismissed reports of “uneasiness” among its ranks.
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo made the statement when asked for comment about former president Rodrigo Duterte’s statement that the military and the police are closely watching the political developments at the House of Representatives amid the allegedly emerging alliance between Speaker Martin Romualdez and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro.
“On the part of the PNP, we will not participate in any attempt to destabilize our government. Although as I said, the PNP is ready to defend the security and sovereignty of our country but I hope the PNP would be excluded from these political issues,” she said.
“Mayroon tayong mandato na i-enforce iyong ating mga batas but kagaya ng sinabi ko kanina na as an institution, ang PNP po (We have a mandate to enforce our laws, as I said earlier, as an institution, the PNP is) 100 percent behind this administration,” she added.
During his SMNI program on Wednesday, Duterte said Congress should be sensitive to the sentiments of the military and the police.
“Bantayan ninyo ang military pati pulis. Kayong nakipagkonsabo… hindi ko kayo tinatakot. Pero, bantayan ninyo ang military pati pulis. Ilan ang namatay at pinatay ninyo na pulis pati militar (Watch the military and the police closely. You who are conniving… I am not scaring you. But watch the military and the police. How many soldiers and police have been killed already)?” Duterte said, referring to security forces’ deaths at the hands of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army rebels.
The former chief executive is facing a complaint filed by Castro, who accused him of grave threats and red-tagging.