Cascolan revamps PNP; Eleazar is No. 2 man

MANILA, Philippines — Three days after he was appointed by President Duterte as Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Camilo Cascolan yesterday enforced a major revamp affecting key PNP officials.

Cascolan designated Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar as deputy chief for administration, making him the second highest official in the PNP.

With his promotion, Eleazar has supervision over the PNP administrative units.

Replacing Eleazar as deputy chief for operations is Lt. Gen. Cesar Binag, former directorial staff chief.

Eleazar will keep his post as commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, which enforces the security aspect of the government’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019.

Binag will manage the operations of the Administrative Support for COVID-19, which Cascolan used to head.

Sought for comment, PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said Cascolan opted for continuity on the two task forces.

Banac said Eleazar has been implementing well the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Binag was Cascolan’s assistant when he was still the deputy chief for administration.

“They are already familiar with the functions of the task forces,” Banac said.

Cascolan also appointed Maj. Gen. Jose Vera Cruz as chief of the directorial staff.

Cruz headed the Directorate for Information and Communications Technology.

Other PNP officials got new posts. Maj. Gen. Gilberto Cruz was named director of the PNP Academy. Replacing him at the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations in Northern Luzon is outgoing PNPA director Maj. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo.

Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Luis Licup was named director of the Directorate for Comprolleship, Brig. Gen. Bartolome Bustamante as Bicol police director, Brig. Gen. Alfredo Corpus as director of the Directorate for Operations, Brig. Gen. Roland Hinanay as head of the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management and Brig. Gen. Steve  Ludan as chief of the Crime Laboratory.

Col. Emma Libunao was reassigned to the Directorate for Police Community Relations.

Former police comptroller Maj. Gen. Jose Marni Marcos Jr. was reassigned to the office of the PNP chief.

Banac said the reshuffle was triggered by the retirement of several police officials, including former PNP chief Archie Gamboa.