Verzosa to be replaced by PNP's No. 4 man?

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa has yet to announce the exact date of his supposed plan for early retirement, but already there’s talk inside Camp Crame that Task Force Usig chief Director Raul Bacalzo is set to replace him.

Verzosa earlier announced his plans to retire from the service ahead of his 56th birthday on Dec. 25.

As chief of Directorial Staff, Bacalzo is the fourth in command and assists the PNP chief in exercising direct supervision over the 10 PNP Directorial Staff offices, 18 national support units and 17 police regional offices.

The PNP’s No. 4 man acts as the “general manager and chief operating officer” of the PNP.

Bacalzo had worked for the revision of the PNP Criminal Investigation Manual, which was duly approved by the PNP leadership and eventually launched in July this year through the technical assistance of the European Philippine Justice Support (EPJUST) Program, in support of the PNP’s commitment to the Integrated Transformation Program (ITP) and Performance Governance System (PGS).

Police investigators are set to review their criminal investigation manual to enhance the investigative capabilities of police officers in attending to incidents related to the killings of media and militant activists and elective local government officials.

Bacalzo is a seasoned crime investigator and topnotch lawyer who ranked 12th in the 1984 Bar examination.

He was the former head of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) that initiated technical enhancements in police investigative procedures. The unit enhanced the capability of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to maximize its potential in identifying wanted criminals through the use of fingerprints.

As head of the DIDM, Bacalzo institutionalized a systematic approach by utilizing properly and effectively the scientific aspect of investigation with the proper use of AFIS combined with the expertise and technical capabilities of field investigators.

These new approaches include the adoption of the Unit Crime Periodic Report (UCPER), a more accurate crime reporting system introduced in 2009 to obtain an accurate benchmark or baseline crime statistics for future comparison, study, analysis and research.

Bacalzo said the revision of the PNP Criminal Investigation Manual “could not have come at a better time in response to the call of President Aquino for the PNP to resolve all cases of violence committed against journalists, activists and government officials.”