300 senior police officers to be shipped to Mindanao

The Philippine National Police is shipping to Mindanao around 300 of its senior police officers on floating status, PNP Directorial Staff chief Deputy Director Jesus Verzosa said.

Verzosa, also the incumbent chief of the PNP Program Management Office (PNP-PMO) said the reassignment program aimed at maximizing the police force, had already been approved by PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon.

“We have more or less 300 police senior police superintendents whose talents and capabilities are simply wasted because they don’t have assignments commensurate to their rank,” Verzosa said.

The PNP has more than 1,000 police senior superintendents, most of who are in Luzon and want to be retained in Metro Manila.

But under the PNP-PMO program, senior officers in Metro Manila who are occupying positions not commensurate to their rank will also be given new assignments.

“This is for their own good (senior superintendents) and career advancement, Verzosa said, adding that the PNP-PMO, through a study, found out that some senior police superintendents assigned in Luzon, including Metro Manila, are occupying positions for police superintendents.

This, he said, resulted in a chain reaction with police superintendents (lieutenant colonels) having to content themselves with occupying a position commensurate to chief inspector (major).

On the other hand, Verzosa also noted that there are a number of key positions in the PNP being occupied by junior police officers to the detriment of their seniors.

“This PNP-PMO reassignment program will correct all these mistakes,” Verzosa said.

Despite opposition by some police officers, Verzosa said he expects the program to be completed by September.

He added that senior police officers not willing to accept positions commensurate to their rank outside of Metro Manila have one option left.

“As programmed, those who are not willing to accept assignments outside Metro Manila, can always opt to be assigned on various PNP training centers because by September, all senior police officers who are still on floating status will be brought there either as trainors or trainees,” he said. “Kung ayaw pa rin nila, mag-isip isip na sila because we will subject them to the PNP attrition program.”      – Jaime Laude