PRO-7: No new regional director yet

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office 7 has to wait till a new regional director assumes Chief Superintendent Danilo Constantino’s post following his reassignment to the Directorate for Police Community Relations at Camp Crame.

Constantino said that several generals assigned in Camp Crame retired from service, so he is reassigned to fill the vacancies. He admitted that his nine-month stay in the region is “too short” for him and that he still has pending projects in Central Visayas.

Constantino hopes that his successor will continue his unfinished business, such as, the Explosives Ordnance Trainings.

He further said that his stay in Central Visayas has been very challenging. It was during his term when the ship collision happened on August last year in Talisay City, the magnitude 7.2-magnitude earthquake in October and the super typhoon Yolanda in November.

PRO-7 Regional Public Information Officer, Superintendent Renato Dugan, in an interview, said that starting tomorrow, Senior Superintendent Orlando Ualat, Deputy Regional Director for Administration, will sit as the acting regional director “being the second in command.”

He added that, most likely, the official who is expected to assume the regional director’s post is Chief Supt. Prudencio Tom Bañas from the Human Rights Affairs Office based in Camp Crame. He added that it is not yet clear when Bañas will assume his post as no information were sent to them about it as of the time being.

A ceremony is scheduled at 4 p.m. today to honor Constantino’s leadership in PRO-7.

Constantino assumed his post on April last year after the regional directorship was vacant for three weeks. Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo, who was the Deputy Regional Director for Administration at that time, was designated as the acting in capacity.

After Constantino assumed into office, he instituted major changes at the PRO-7 and has been very transparent to the media about police matters. The arrest of wanted persons and confiscation of firearms has increased during his term.

Police officers assigned at Camp Sergio Osmeña described him as a “fatherly figure” to all police officers in the region.

Constantino graduated from the Philippine Military Academy class of 1982 and joined the police force afterwards.

He said he feels welcomed by the people eversince he assumed his new post.

“Ang mga tao na na-meet ko kasama na kayo doon ma-miss ko kung alam ko lang na ganito ka bait ang mga tawo noon pa lang nagpa-assign na ako dito.

He called for the people to continue to support whoever might sit as the new regional director because “majority of the PNP is dedicated to the service.” (FREEMAN)