Querol’s retirement to trigger major PNP revamp

The retirement of Metro police chief Director Vidal Querol is expected to trigger the first wave of a series of major revamps at the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the leadership of PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon.

Camp Crame sources said Calderon is set to announce the revamp a few days before the retirement of Querol on Aug. 13.

Expected to replace Querol is Director Reynaldo Varilla, head of the PNP’s Directorate for Intelligence (DI) at Camp Crame.

Deputy Director General Avelino Razon Jr., PNP deputy chief for administration, admitted Varilla is the likely choice to take over the NCRPO.

Razon, chairman of the Senior Officer’s Placement and Promotions Board (SOPPB) clarified, however, that Varilla’s appointment has no approval yet from "higher headquarters."

Both Razon and Varilla belong to Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’74.

To replace Varilla at the DI would be Director Alejandro Lapinid, whose post at the Directorate for Research and Development (DRD) would be taken over by Chief Superintendent Ernesto Belen.

Belen’s post as director of the Crime Laboratory would go to Chief Superintendent Augusto Angcanan.

The new director for comptrollership would be Director Noe Wong, whose post at the Directorate for Logistics (DL) would go to Director Joey Salvacion.

Salvacion’s post at the Directorate for Human Resource Doctrine and Development (DHRDD) would go to Director Servando Hizon, former director of the PNP Comptroller.

Chief Superintendent Luizo Ticman would be named director of the Eastern Police District (EPD) to replace Chief Superintendent Charlemagne Alejandrino, who would be re-assigned as deputy chief for the directorate for plans.

Lapinid, Hizon and Angcanan are classmates of Calderon at PMA Class ’73. Belen belongs to Class ’74, Wong and Alejandrino to Class ’75 while Ticman and Salvacion belong to Class ’76.

Earlier, Calderon named Senior Superintendent Ricardo Padilla as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Southern Police District (SPD) to replace Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Garcia who was promoted to head the Directorate for Operations (DO).

The PNP chief also placed Chief Superintendent Geary Barias as the new police director for Western Visayas or PRO6. Barias had replaced Chief Superintendent Domingo Reyes, who retired last Aug. 2 when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Barias’ post at the Caraga region would go to Chief Superintendent Antonio Nanas.

However, there has been no word yet as to who would replace Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong, who retired last Aug. 1. Bulaong’s deputy, Senior Superintendent Danilo Abarzosa, has been named OIC.

Querol is expected to meet with Manila Mayor Lito Atienza at 11 a.m. today to discuss his choice of MPD chief. The list of names submitted to the mayor includes Chief Superintendents Roberto Rosales and Louie Palmera and Senior Superintendent Nilo de la Cruz. — Non Alquitran