NCRPO set to move back to old home

Home, sweet home.

The National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) is fast-tracking the renovation of a main building and eight adjoining structures at their old headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig so Metro chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco and his men can move in before Dec. 15.

Workers of an engineering firm hired by Deputy Director General Victor Signey, director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) directorate for comptrollership, are working overtime in the renovation of the NCRPO headquarters.

Velasco and his staff are currently holding office at the former EIIB building along NIA Road in Quezon City. The newly-constructed building became vacant following an executive order issued by former President Joseph Estrada abolishing the EIIB during his term.

PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., directed Velasco to move back to his former office to give way to the Camp Crame-based Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Under Ebdane’s set-up, the PDEA office located in front the PNP main building in Camp Crame will be occupied by the Makati-based Internal Affairs Service (IAS).

Ebdane allotted P8 million for the renovation of the NCRPO headquarters. But before renovation work could begin, the NCRPO first had to deal with more than 100 squatters families, mostly police dependents, occupying the old buildings or vacant lots. Fortunately, the squatter families vacated the premises.

Earlier, the Supreme Court issued an order designating the conference room of the NCRPO main building as a temporary court used for the trial of more than 100 arrested Abu Sayyaf rebels. The temporary courtroom will be moved to adjoining buildings while renovation work is ongoing, a source said.

The workers of an engineering firm hired by Signey are currently re-roofing and re-partitioning the NCRPO main building. Workers are also set to install a more efficient water supply facility within the camp.

Velasco has also made representations with Public Works and Highways Secretary Simeon Datumanong for the repair of a feeder road leading to the NCRPO headquarters.

"The work is going smoothly. We are raring to move in to our former home as soon as possible," an official of the NCRPO said. – Non Alquitran