27 top posts to be affected in PNP revamp

At least 27 sensitive positions will be affected in the long-awaited revamp of the Philippine National Police (PNP), a ranking police official said yesterday.

Director Jose Lalisan, head of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Record Management, said the upcoming revamp will affect at least two posts in the directorial staff, three to four regional posts, and some in national support units.

"We are just waiting for the guidance of the PNP chief for the major revamp," he said.

PNP officials said the posts of the chief of the directorial staff and the directorate for police-community relations are likely to be affected by the reorganization.

PNP chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. announced last week that a major revamp will be implemented this month.

Ebdane said the first heads to roll in the revamp — believed to be the biggest since he assumed office in July last year — will be those belonging to rogue cops and non-performers. The mechanics of the reorganization are still being threshed out.

He earlier said the revamp will be completed by the middle of next month from the regional commands down to the smallest police station. Officers who have been at their posts for at least two years will be affected.

Ebdane noted that police officials who have relatives or close friends running for elective posts in their jurisdiction will also be included in the revamp.

The revamp will also affect police officials who have been the subject of complaints by the communities under their jurisdiction, or by their subordinates.

Meanwhile, Lalisan said some 2,500 policemen who played a significant role in foiling the May 1, 2001 siege of Malacañang by supporters of deposed President Joseph Estrada will be promoted by December.

"The May 1 siege promotions (are) long overdue. We are trying our best… We have forwarded them to the National Police Commission (Napolcom). I hope they can be acted upon," he said. "We will insist that it will come out before Christmas … it’s been two years."

Lalisan said the PNP is just waiting for Napolcom’s formal approval of the promotions.

"We want to fast-track all of these so we can have the promotions before the election ban," he said. The awarding of promotions or new appointments is prohibited once the election period starts by mid-December.

Lalisan said all candidates for promotion should have no pending criminal or administrative charges in order to be awarded their new rank.