Nerez to get his second star?

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Director Lani-O Nerez may be on his way to a promotion before he turns 55 on November.

Director General Jesus Versoza, chief of the Philippine National Police, said yesterday they will plan for Nerez’ promotion before he loses the chance to get the rank of director.

“We will plan out how to get his second star before he’s prohibited from promotion,” Versoza said.

Versoza said that based on PNP rules, an officer may no longer be promoted if he only has one year remaining in service, that is, a year before the mandatory retirement age of 56.

Versoza said Nerez deserves a second star because of his good performance as regional director since he assumed office last year. The PNP’s two-star rank is equivalent to the military’s major general.

Nerez graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1978. He was director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office before he assumed as director of the Cebu City Police Office in 2002.

When he was relieved as CCPO director, he was assigned as Regional Operations and Plans Division chief at PRO 7 and eventually promoted to chief of the Regional Directorial Staff. — THE FREEMAN