PNP reshuffles top officials

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Calderon announced yesterday the reshuffle of top police officials.

Calderon also ordered all police units to further intensify the campaign against all forms of crime as the PNP continue to reorganize the police force to maximize efficiency.

“We, in the PNP, hope to serve and protect the community better with the appointment of the new heads of sensitive units in the organization,” said Calderon.

Calderon issued the order as he presided over the turnover of command of the PNP-Deputy Chief for Operations (DCO), the third highest rank in the police force, from Deputy Director General Antonio Billones to Director Jesus Verzosa, a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1976.

Billones, a graduate of PMA Class 1973, retired from service yesterday as he reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. He was given retirement honors at the PNP quadrangle, which was attended by his wife, children and classmates from the PMA.

Verzosa was the No. 4 man in the PNP or head of the Chief Directorial Staff (CDS) before his appointment yesterday to the DCO, the unit that oversees the overall operations of the police units nationwide.

“Since Gen. Verzosa is now the head of the DCO, his third star might also land on his shoulder,” Calderon said of Verzosa’s possible promotion from the rank of director  to deputy director general.

Verzosa will still head the PNP’s Program Management Office (PMO), the unit that handles  projects to professionalize the police force and uplift the living standard of policemen.

Aside from Verzosa, other police officials who assumed new assignments yesterday were Chief Superintendent Emmanuel Carta, who is now with the CDS while his former position as head of the Directorate for Police Community Relations (DPCR) was taken over by Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan.