The appointment of the three district directors will be included in a reshuffle set to be implemented soon by Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. which will also affect 10 regional commands, staff offices and other PNP support units.
Sources named the incoming district directors as Chief Superintendent Antonio Billones, of the Southern Police District (SPD); Senior Superintendent Napoleon Castro of the Central Police District (CPD) and Senior Superintendent Marcelino "Bong" Franco Jr., of the Northern Police District (NPD).
Billones will replace Chief Superintendent Jose Gutierrez who is groomed as the replacement of outgoing Police Regional Office 2 (PRO2) director Chief Superintendent Dominador Resos. Last week, Ebdane named Resos as head of the PNP Logistics Command (Logcom).
Castro will replace Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Tor, who is slated for promotions as NCRPO deputy director for operations while Franco will replace Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol.
Tor will replace Chief Superintendent Romulo Sales, who is groomed to be the next director of the Intelligence Group (IG) in Camp Crame while Querol will takeover the post of Senior Superintendent Alexander Lapinid, the officer-in-charge of Region 7 in Cebu.
Prior to their appointments, Billones is the deputy director of the directorate for comptrollership in Camp Crame while Castro and Franco, the deputy directors for administration of the CPD and Western Police District (WPD), respectively. Billones belongs to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class ’73, Castro to PMA Class ’72 and Franco, PMA Class ’74.
When reached for comment, however, newly designated NCRPO chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco said he received no orders as yet regarding the appointment of Billones, Castro and Franco.
"There’s no formal order as yet. I will comment on the issue as soon as I receive their appointment papers," said Velasco, a member of PMA Class ’71.
The STAR source said Chief Superintendent Rolando Sacramento, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD) will retain his post while Senior Superintendent Pedro Bulaong, has just been named WPD director.
Earlier, Velasco said he will conduct a massive reshuffle of his district and station commanders two weeks after Ebdane implements his massive reshuffle.
"I will pick up the best and brightest who will be left behind in the reshuffle implemented by PNP chief Ebdane and assign them in areas where they are badly needed," Velasco said. – Non Alquitran