Who will be the new top cop?

It is very interesting to note there is a positive improvement in the race for the top post at the Philippine National Police (PNP). It is no longer marked by the usual smear campaign in media by rival aspirants. There seems to be a modicum of friendly rivalry this time among the strong contenders to replace soon-to-retire PNP director-general Oscar Calderon who is set to retire on Oct. 1. I think it is to the credit of Gen. Calderon that there is no such ugly contest among the current crop of aspirants when he announced his endorsement of his possible successor very early on the game.

Calderon endorsed Police deputy director-general Avelino “Sonny” Razon Jr., chief PNP for administration, as his preferred successor. What could also be going the way of Razon is that the other next qualified contender to replace Calderon is PNP Deputy Director General Reynaldo Varilla, head of the PNP National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). Varilla happens to be Razon’s PMA Class 1974 batchmate.

Although Calderon fully supports Razon as his anointed successor, it is President Arroyo, not the PNP chief, who has the last say on the appointment of who would be her new top cop. Being the President’s “cabalen” may also come into good use for Razon. The President has, in the past, observed the “revolving door” policy where retirable generals were allowed to be promoted to the highest post in the police or in the military even for a short while until their retirement day. She followed this “revolving door” policy that accommodated several of her loyal supporters at the PNP as well as in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

In the soon-to-be vacancy at the PNP, both Razon and Varilla are also slated for retirement. Varilla is set to retire in March 2008 while Razon is on September 2008. In the meantime, several other police Generals reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56 have triggered the latest wave of reshuffles at the PNP. Fortunately, this latest series of revamp did not create any bitter wrangling among police officials affected by the movement.

The Senior Officers Placement and Promotions Board (SOPPB) which reviews the qualifications and merits of aspirants to various vacancies at the PNP has approved last Monday the next wave of reshuffle in the police force that would be implemented on Aug. 22. This is the retirement day of Deputy Director General Antonio Billiones, PNP deputy chief for operations. The SOPPB has reportedly decided that Director Jesus Verzosa, the PNP’s chief directorial staff (CDS), will replace Billiones in the third highest post in the police organization. The SOPPB is apparently taking the cue from Gen. Calderon who recommended Verzosa to take the place of Billiones. The changes go down the line without much rancor so far.

While the revamp may not please everybody, there seems to be a feeling of fairness with the movement of officials in the PNP hierarchy. For that, Gen. Calderon is being credited for his close adherence to the PNP ladder of promotions and has not engaged in any “bata-bata” system or playing favorites.

This is a complete change of culture at the PNP, unlike in the past when there was so much noisy infighting that rocked the very core of the police organization. Those were the days when the PNP leadership was so much politicized. The rivalry turned into nasty conflict among aspirants trying to shoot down each other’s chances of being appointed by the President.

But then again I might be speaking too soon. Yesterday, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division decided to hear today a long pending graft and illegal disposition of firearms case filed against Varilla. His woes started last July 1, 2004. He was accused of illegal diversion of 72 pieces of Heckler & Koch-MP5 submachine guns. These guns were allegedly taken out of the PNP warehouse on June 21, 2000 when he was still the director of the PNP Firearms and Explosive Division. Varilla, through his lawyers, sought reinvestigation of the charges against him. Despite the pendency of this case, he was appointed director of the NCRPO to replace Razon who was moved over to become the CDS. Through these past three years, Varilla was subsequently promoted to Chief Superintendent to Police Director (two-star rank) and onto Police Deputy Director (three-star rank).

I would like to think Gen. Razon has nothing to do with the sudden fast-tracking of Varilla’s case. In fairness to Gen. Razon, he is the same officer and gentleman I first came to know while I was still covering Malacanang Palace and he was a deputy commander of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) during the term of former President Fidel V. Ramos. He rose from the ranks through sheer merit and qualifications and not at the expense of others.

Before I got this report from our Sandiganbayan reporter, I bumped into Gen. Razon yesterday at the Myther’s and Friends regular Thursday luncheon gathering in Adriatico St. in Malate and I got to tease him about  finally being appointed as top cop. He swears he and Varilla are in talking terms and that there is no “silent war” going on between them contrary to rumors. Well and good, if that is really the case. When Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim arrived, Razon’s former boss declared: “I’m safe here because the Director-General is here!” Razon was the chief of the erstwhile Western Police District (WPD) in 1996 to 1998 while Lim was Mayor of Manila. 

Mayors Jejomar Binay of Makati City and Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa City, who were present also yesterday at Myther’s, joined the chorus in addressing Gen. Razon as Chief PNP. But Mayor Binay hastily cautioned Razon not to be closely identified with the opposition leaders like them, lest, he warns, President Arroyo might get the wrong impression and get him into trouble, not the top PNP post.

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