Lomibao is new PNP chief

President Arroyo has named Deputy Director General Arturo Lomibao as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), replacing Director General Edgar Aglipay whose six-month term extension ended yesterday.

Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye confirmed the appointment of Lomibao, ending weeks of speculation on Aglipay’s replacement.

Bunye, however, did not give other details surrounding Lomibao’s appointment and a possible new government position for Aglipay.

Bunye merely said Aglipay "could expect an active public life after his retirement."

Highly placed sources said the President made known her choice of Lomibao during a dinner with Aglipay and his classmates in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’71 at Malacañang last Saturday.

The sources said Mrs. Arroyo explained to Aglipay and his classmates why she picked Lomibao, a member of the PMA’s Class ’72, over senior police officers.

In an apparent attempt to appease the Class ’71 members, Mrs. Arroyo appointed Deputy Director General Virtus Gil, the PNP’s deputy chief for administration (DCA), as undersecretary of the National Security Council (NSC).

Both Aglipay and Gil will retire from the police service today.

Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco, PNP chief for operations, will take over Gil’s post while another classmate, Director Ricardo de Leon, will assume command of Lomibao’s former position as chief of the PNP Directorial Staff and the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AID-SOTF) in concurrent capacity.

Velasco reportedly agreed to vacate his position to give junior police officers an opportunity to be promoted.

Other sources, however, said Director Oscar Calderon, Southern Tagalog police director, would be designated PNP deputy chief for administration while National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Avelino Razon will be appointed deputy chief for operations.

Being groomed to replace Razon as Metro Manila police chief is Chief Superintendent Isidro Lapena, the present PNP director for operations while Chief Superintendent Jesus Versoza, the chief of the PNP Cordillera Administrative Region, will replace Calderon as Southern Tagalog PNP regional director.

Another classmate, Director Rolando Garcia, will remain as chief of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime (PCTC).

Sources at Malacañang pointed out that Mrs. Arroyo had signed the appointment papers of Lomibao last Friday.

The following day, Mrs. Arroyo attended the graduation ceremonies at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Baguio City where she was supposed the announce the appointment of Lomibao as the new PNP chief.

Instead, Mrs. Arroyo didn’t drop any names but declared she would make the final announcement today at the latest.

The postponement, however, did not dampen speculations but other police officials claimed Mrs. Arroyo was still mulling over her choices.

Hours after the PMA graduation ceremonies, Aglipay led the graduates of Class ’71 to extend a dinner invitation to Mrs. Arroyo.

‘In Safe Hands’

Aglipay said yesterday he respects Mrs. Arroyo’s decision to appoint Lomibao. He described the new PNP chief as a good and capable leader. "Kaya n’ya ang trabaho dahil magaling naman siya," Aglipay told The STAR.

Aglipay said he is expecting Lomibao to continue the PNP transformation and anti-corruption plan.

The transformation plan identifies the services the PNP needs to extend more to the Filipino people while the anti-corruption plan traces the root of corruption in the police force and outlines the programs to address it.

Aglipay pointed out that on Lomibao’s initiative, the PNP secured an agreement with Coalition against Corruption, a civil society group that will study the PNP’s budget allocations and records along with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Commission on Audit (COA).

"The PNP will be in the safe hands of Lomibao," Aglipay said.

Sources added Aglipay had a one-on-one meeting with Mrs. Arroyo after the gathering last Saturday night.

Aglipay, for his part, refused to comment on what government position was offered to him by the Chief Executive. "I’ll just wait for her announcement regarding my next assignment," he said.

Separate sources however revealed Aglipay might be appointed to head the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

During the dinner with the President, Velasco wished Lomibao well on his new assignment.

He also called on fellow contenders to respect Mrs. Arroyo’s decision and rally behind Lomibao.

"Let us join hands in helping unite the PNP. We must be professional soldiers," Velasco told his colleagues.

For his part, De Leon has thrown in the towel. "Give up na tayo. I’ve already congratulated Lomibao and let us support the new PNP chief," De Leon told The STAR.

He said he will serve "as one of the instruments in unifying the PNP under the leadership of Lomibao."

Razon also expressed support for Mrs. Arroyo’s decision. "He (Lomibao) is a very deserving police officer. It is a wise decision of the President," he said.

Sources said Lomibao will initiate a massive revamp in the police organization next week following the retirement of Aglipay and the appointment of several senior PNP officials to key positions.

Aglipay had a meeting with Lomibao early yesterday at the "White House," the PNP chief’s official residence at Camp Crame.

"The two had a short talk and Aglipay’s successor had a glimpse of his future quarters. The incoming PNP chief had a big smile when he left the White House," one police official said.

The same official disclosed Aglipay and Lomibao had agreed to use the Bible instead of a saber — traditionally used by the military in turnovers of command.

"The Bible will emphasize that the PNP has dropped its military image and would magnify that the national police is national in scope and civilian in character," the official said.

The PNP top brass, on the other hand, are busy dressing up Camp Crame for today’s ceremony.

The President is expected to arrive before noon to witness the turnover of command to the new PNP chief.

Aglipay, for his part, is expected to announce his retirement from the police service. He is set to retire today after serving out the President’s six-month extension of his term.

‘Gapangan’

Mrs. Arroyo kept everyone guessing until yesterday, as Lomibao’s appointment ended weeks of intense speculation, jockeying and last- ditch efforts by the contenders.

In the past weeks, Camp Crame had been the source and center of intense lobbying, including the use of "special media ops (operations)" by each contender in an effort to be noticed by Malacañang.

One contender even attended the PMA graduation last Friday to catch Mrs. Arroyo’s eye.

"In reality, he (contender) wanted the Boss (Mrs. Arroyo) to notice him. The other candidate had done the obvious — he went (straight) to Malacañang," a ranking police official said.

The intense "gapangan" (jockeying) for the PNP’s top post occurred even after the contenders last week had a gentleman’s agreement to respect the President’s decision and support the new PNP chief.

Of the seven contenders, Lomibao seemed to have gotten the inside track after Malacañang gave him his third star, boosting his chances to become the next PNP chief.

Mrs. Arroyo earlier declared against adopting the traditional "revolving door" policy, thus dashing the chances of the senior police officials to become the PNP top honcho.

Lomibao, of PMA Class ’72, is from the batch after Aglipay’s.

Some sources claimed Lomibao was chosen because of the endorsement by a powerful political bloc from Northern Luzon.

Lomibao, a 54-year old native of Mangaldan, Pangasinan, is also closely identified with supposed power brokers at Malacañang, the source said.

His supposed backers include Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson.

Lomibao was a former PNP spokesman and public information officer.

Before his appointment as chief of the directorial staff, Lomibao was head of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and director of the PNP directorate for intelligence.

His initial assignment after graduating from PMA in 1972 was with the defunct Philippine Constabulary as intelligence officer of a PC unit in Mountain Province.

He moved on to become the commanding officer of PC Region I security unit and then became the commanding officer of the Pangasinan police district.

After his stint as PNP spokesman, Lomibao was appointed deputy director of the PNP Human Resource and Doctrine Development.

He was the provincial police director of Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan, Camarines Sur and La Union, before becoming director of Regions 1, 2 and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

He has five distinguished service medals and eight bronze cross medals.

Lomibao is a widower with two children. His eldest, Louanda, is a graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree in broadcast communication. His youngest, Arthur Chase, is still in college. - With reports from Non Alquitran