2 police generals swap positions

MANILA, Philippines – Was it the tension created by threat of a series of mass actions against Charter change through constituent assembly, or was the leadership of the Philippine National Police not yet ready to allow a policewoman handle a sensitive position in the police force?

Chief Superintendent Lino Calingasan will go back to his previous position as director of the Eastern Police District, replacing Chief Superintendent Lina Sarmiento who will be the director of the Police Security Protection Group.

In the last revamp, Calingasan was the PSPG and Sarmiento replaced him at the EPD, the first ever in the history of the PNP to appoint a policewoman in a sensitive position.

PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa said Calingasan will remain EPD director to allow him to continue his programs at the eastern part of the country. “Gen. Calingasan has to remain with EPD to maintain the present supervisory mechanisms he has instituted in relation to civil disturbance and crowd control,” said Verzosa in a text message to The STAR. Verzosa also said Calingasan will also handle the security and anti-criminality programs at the EPD, which covers the cities of San Juan, Marikina, Mandaluyong and Pasig.

Policemen at the EPD were surprised by the “sudden” turnover of command in the police district last night, barely six days after the mass turnover of command at Verzosa’s office on June 4.

Further, Sarmiento admitted that she was surprised by the changes, but as a good soldier she would follow orders from her superior.

The recent turn of events made many police officers doubted the PNP’s integrated transformation program, which was designed to professionalize the police force. If the June 4 reshuffle was thoroughly discussed by the Senior Officers Placement and Promotions Board, how come it will be reversed overnight?” asked some officers interviewed by The STAR. But there were some movements in the PNP, which were prompted by the influence of different sectors.

Like in the case of Senior Superintendent Allen Bantolo, who was relieved as Bulacan provincial police director reportedly in the intervention of a religious group. “It is not only alarming and dangerous but threatens the very fiber of the moral of officers especially those who consider their calling as sacred,” Bantolo said in his farewell speech. Bantolo said he would have graciously accepted his relief if it was because of his lapses.

“But if unseen hands, specially religious organizations who violate the constitutional mandate of the separation of Church and State by dipping their power and influence over duly elected government officials, then it’s very, very dangerous,” Bantolo added. – Cecille Suerte Felipe