Torre replaces half of Mindanao’s top police chiefs in shake-up affecting 5 regions

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The order also results in leadership changes in two Visayas and Luzon regional police offices

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Nicolas Torre III has relieved three of Mindanao’s six police regional directors, including the top official in the Bangsamoro region, in the first major revamp affecting PNP regional offices since assuming the post more than two weeks ago.

Among those affected by the reshuffling were Brigadier General Jaysen de Guzman of Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao, Brigadier General Leon Victor Zamora Rosete of PRO-Davao region, and Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz of PRO-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Brigadier General Rolindo Suguilon, a native of Misamis Oriental and former head of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), was named Northern Mindanao police chief, replacing de Guzman. Brigadier General Joseph Arguelles will take over as Davao regional director.

“Suguilon has a deep understanding of the security landscape and peace and order situation in Northern Mindanao,” Major Joanne Navarro, PNP-Region X spokesperson. She cited Suguilon’s prior stints as PNP provincial director in Misamis Oriental and Misamis Occidental, as well as commander of the police’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion in Northern Mindanao.

“The reshuffling of regional directors was effective immediately,” Navarro said.

From Northern Mindanao, de Guzman has been reassigned as the new police director for BARMM, where he is expected to oversee security preparations for the first parliamentary elections in the autonomous region set for October 13.

The order, which took effect Thursday, June 19, also resulted in leadership changes in two Visayas and Luzon regional police offices, affecting five PNP regions overall.

PRO-Western Visayas director Brigadier General Jack Wanky was transferred and tasked to head the Calabarzon police. He was replaced in Western Visayas by Brigadier General Ponce Peñones from the PRO-National Capital Region.

Torre’s reorganization of top police posts comes amid heightened security concerns in several regions following the May midterm elections and ahead of upcoming electoral exercises in the Bangsamoro region. – Rappler.com