Rumored Verzosa successor moves up from No. 4 to No. 3

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa’s rumored successor, Deputy Director General Raul Bacalzo, moved closer to the top position in the PNP he is now the No. 3 man in the entire police force.

Bacalzo’s promotion to PNP deputy chief for operations (DCO) was due to the retirement of Deputy Director General Jefferson Soriano, the No. 2 man in the PNP.

Soriano, whose 56th birthday will be on Nov. 11, opted for early retirement. The position he vacated was taken over by Deputy Director General Perfecto Palad, the PNP deputy chief for administration (DCA).

It was only last Aug. 6 when Bacalzo was appointed as the No. 4 man in the PNP. A few days later he got his three-star rank and a week after that, he assumed the third highest post in the PNP.

Verzosa said Director Benjamin Belarmino was designated Chief of Directorial Staff, the fourth highest position in the PNP Command Group. Bacalzo, Palad and Belarmino belong to the Philippine Military Academy Class ‘77.

Director Roberto Rosales, who used to head the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), has been sent to head a low-profile office: the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) Northern Luzon. He is identified with former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and during the May 2010 campaign period, Rosales was rumored to be Verzosa’s replacement.

DIPO offices are usually given to police officials who are about to retire from the police force. Rosales still has two more years in the police service.

Rosales reportedly claimed he is more senior in rank than Bacalzo, Palad and Belarmino.

Verzosa expressed confidence the new leadership team in the PNP will invigorate the Integrated Transformation Program and accomplish the PNP’s targets under the Performance Governance System.

He said the latest round of organizational placements in the PNP command group, directorial staff, national support units and police regional offices “signals a new beginning in our organization’s continuing quest toward professionalism and excellence.”

Other PNP officials installed in new positions include Chief Superintendent Rolando Añonuevo, Director for Integrated Police Operations in Southern Luzon; Chief Superintendent Lani-O Nerez, Director for Research and Development; Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, regional director of CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces); Chief Superintendent Artemio Hicban, regional director of MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan provinces); Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol, head of the Police Community Relations Group; and Chief Superintendent Ager Ontog as regional director of Central Visayas.