PNP submits names for Dumaguete chief

CEBU, Philippines – The Philippine National Police yesterday submitted to Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria the official list of police officers nominated to be the next police chief of this capital city of Negros Oriental.

Senior Superintendent Mariano Natuel, Jr., NOrPPO's OIC director, said there are five nominees that the mayor can choose from, as replacement of outgoing Supt. James Goforth, the City Police chief, whose two-year tour of duty already lapsed and is now due for transfer.

Those nominated are: Supt. Reynold Andot, NOrPPO's deputy director for operations, Supt. Jonathan Pineda (executive officer of the Police Regional Office-7’s Regional Public Safety Battalion), Supt. Jovito Atanacio (chief of the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Division of the Bohol Provincial Police), Supt. Ali Baron (of the Cebu Provincial Police Office) and Supt. Bernouli Abalos (of the Mandaue Police Station).

Goforth shall be reassigned to the NOrPPO headquarters for a higher position, according to Natuel.

NOrPPO received the list of nominees, which had been approved by the PRO-7’s screening board, last week but other pressing activities caused this to be forwarded to Mayor Sagarbarria only on Monday, he added.

Of the five nominees, Andot had already met the mayor in previous engagements in Dumaguete and during Andot’s brief stint as acting police chief when Goforth was on vacation.

Atanacio also paid a courtesy call on Sagarbarria a few months back while the rest were still “unknown” to the mayor but who may be invited to come over for a meeting with him, as is the usual practice of police officers recommended to or vying for the position of chief or director of a particular area.