New Makati City police chief to be appointed this week

The Senior Officer’s Placement and Promotions Board (SOPPB) of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) is set to convene this week to come up with a list of five qualified candidates for the post of Makati police chief.

"We are just awaiting for the letter of Mayor Jejomar Binay before convening and submitting the list of five candidates for the post," said Chief Superintendent Eric Javier, NCRPO chief of staff and member of the SOPPB board.

According to Javier, the name of Superintendent Felipe Napoles, the officer-in-charge (OIC), would be automatically included in the list.

However, Javier emphasized that the list would be forwarded first to Southern Police District (SPD) director Senior Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, who in turn would furnish Binay with the list SOPPB recommendees.

Last week, Binay had urged Padilla to appoint a permanent police chief for the city, preferably this week.

Napoles has been the OIC of the Makati City police since the relief of Senior Superintendent Marieto Valerio last month.

Padilla said he would forward Binay’s letter to the NCRPO today so the SOPPB would be convened and the Makati City mayor’s wish be immediately granted.

"The request of Mayor Binay for a permanent chief of police is beyond my authority. It is the job of the SOPPB of the NCRPO," he stressed.

The SOPPB is headed by NCRPO’s deputy chief for administration Chief Superintendent Juan Urani Jr., who is set to retire on Sept. 20.

According to Padilla, all the other issues raised by Binay in his letter like the recall of Special Action Force (SAF) personnel assigned at the City’s Business District (CBD) were taken care of. The SAF personnel were replaced by policemen from the SPD headquarters in Fort Bonifacio.