Querol being groomed for Jakarta post?

Malacañang is grooming outgoing Manila police chief Director Vidal Querol as the country’s next ambassador to Indonesia.

Camp Crame sources said the Palace is set to announce Querol’s appointment to the Jakarta post after he bows out of the police service on Sunday, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.

A source said Malacañang was extremely pleased by Querol’s handling of President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in the last two years.

"The political opposition had predicted that the SONA would be bloody, but Gen. Querol was able to come up with a solution that provided demonstrators freedom of expression without violating the guidelines under BP 880," the source pointed out.

Querol has an advantage over other candidates to the post in Indonesia, whose leader, President Susilo Bambang Yodhuyono, was a classmate at the General Staff Course (GSC).

The outgoing Metro police chief took his GSC in Indonesia in 1990-91.

In August 2000, suspected terrorists retaliating for the intensified Philippine military operations against local Muslim rebels, bombed the home of Ambassador Leonides Caday in Jakarta.

The bomb killed two people and wounded 21 others, including Caday. Indonesian authorities arrested one of the suspects.

With Querol’s special relationship with Yodhuyono, the said bombing incident would not be repeated in the future, the source claimed.

When reached for comment, Querol said there has been no offer from Malacañang for the posting in Indonesia. "But if President Arroyo makes the offer, who am I to refuse?"

At present, the Metro police is busy visiting police headquarters for his farewell call and to thank the rank and file for supporting his leadership.

Querol admitted that Director Reynaldo Varilla, of the Directorate for Intelligence (DI) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), is the likely choice to replace him on Aug. 13.

Querol pointed out that since his 56th birthday falls on Sunday, the change of command for the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) would either be held on Friday or Monday, depending on the availability of his classmate PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon.

Querol and Calderon belong to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’73.

Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., NCRPO intelligence chief, said they are in the thick of preparations for arrival honors for Calderon and the incoming NCRPO chief.

Rojas said there would be a retirement ceremony for Querol and the traditional parade-in-review and change-of-command program.

"The incoming NCRPO chief would preside over a meeting with ranking police officials," said Rojas, who is also being groomed as a provincial director after Querol’s retirement. – Non Alquitran