Fiasco mars reshuffle of top PNP officials

All dressed up, but nowhere to go.

With his written acceptance speech safely tucked in his pocket, Chief Superintendent Arturo Lomibao was all set for the long drive to Camp Crame in Manila where he was supposed to take over as the new director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Sadly, however, there was a call from Manila ordering him to stay put in his post as police chief of Ilocos Region.

Suddenly, Lomibao became a most disappointed police official because of the last-minute change of heart by his superiors.

Lomibao was among 37 senior police officials who were given new assignments in a major reshuffle of the Philippine National Police in line with the desire of PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. to form "a new team" that will carry out a more effective anti-crime campaign.

The initial reorganization plan had been confirmed by the National Police Commission, the policy-making body for the PNP, and forwarded to Malacañang for final approval.

But for reasons still unknown to him, Lomibao’s new appointment was recalled and the CIDG post was given instead to Chief Superintendent Eduardo Matillano.

"Hindi na ako matutuloy. Si General Matillano na ang pupunta sa CIDG (I’m not getting it after all. It is General Matillano who will go to the CIDG)," a seemingly disappointed Lomibao told reporters at Camp Crame through a long-distance telephone interview.

Matillano was nominated earlier as Lomibao’s replacement in Region 1.

A ranking Camp Crame official dismissed the snag as a normal happening in the police service.

Deputy Director General Clyde Fernandez, assistant chief for administration, said orders may be revoked at the last minute, or reassignments may be implemented on short notice.

Fernandez also presided at the turnover of command between outgoing Intelligence Group (IG) head Chief Superintendent Roberto Delfin and incoming director Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal.

Delfin was designated the new chief of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, replacing Director Hercules Cataluña who was reassigned to the Directorate for Plans vice Director Jose Lalisan who moved over to the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM).

Lalisan takes over from Director Virtus Gil who was appointed the new chief of the PNP Directorial Staff, currently led by Deputy Director Rex Piad who is set to retire on Sept. 29.