Iloilo guv yet to signify choice for police director

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. has yet to formally pick his choice for the next director of the Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO).

Brigadier General Leo Francisco, Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 director, said that they already communicated to Defensor the memorandum from the PNP Directorate for Personnel Records Management (DPRM) on the three nominees for IPPO directorship.

The shortlist includes IPPO officer-in-charge Colonel Noel Aliño.

The two other choices are Colonel Gervacio Balmaceda Jr., the former regional director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) – Region 6 and Colonel Ronaldo Palomo, who is now assigned to the National Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit at the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame.

“It’s a procedural matter. The governor will be given three choices where he can pick his choice,” Francisco said.

Under Section 51 of Republic Act 6975 or the PNP Law, the “provincial governor/city mayor can only choose the provincial director/city director from the list of eligible recommended by PNP.”

Francisco clarified that the same communication was also forwarded to Governor Fredenil Castro of Capiz.

Among the choices for the next Capiz PPO chief are Capiz PPO officer-in-charge Colonel Jerome Afuyog Jr., Colonel Luther Lugo III, and Colonel Noel Silvisa.

Francisco said that both Defensor and Castro have yet to choose the next provincial police director in their areas.

The region’s top cop said he was able to talk to Defensor, but the latter did not make mention his choice for the IPPO directorship.

The governor was quoted to have told Francisco that he is satisfied with the work of the police under Francisco’s leadership.

In the event that Defensor will not answer or will decline to formally designate his choice within 10 days from receipt, the PNP will designate an acting provincial director who will eventually sit as a full-time director.

But the governor could also decline the list of eligible officers and he will be given again another list where his choice for the next provincial director will be included.