Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas (L) with Police Colonel Ildebrandi Usana (R), appointed officer-in-charge of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas as of October 12, 2019. | CDN Digital File / Alven Marie A. Timtim.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — “What happened at the NHQ (National Headquarters) will not affect our officers occupying key positions under PRO-7 (Police Regional Office in Central Visayas).”
This is the assurance of Police Colonel Ildebrandi Usana, office-in-charge of PRO-7, amid the reshuffling of top police officials, starting with the recent appointment of former PRO-7 director Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas as the new chief of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the sudden early retirement of Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde.
While Sinas was preparing to officially assume position as NCRPO director on Wednesday, October 16, 2019, at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City, Albayalde, who has been embroiled in the controversy involving cops who recycle illegal drugs, suddenly announced on Monday, October 14, 2019, that he will be stepping down from his post effective on the same day.
Read more: Albayalde steps down as PNP chief
Usana told CDN Digital on Tuesday that there would be no major changes in PRO-7’s operation amid the PNP leadership shake up.
He said they were still waiting for the assumption of the new regional director, who will be officially introduced soon.
However, Usana said they would expect new policy direction under the new PRO-7 chief.
“Few initial improvements may be forthcoming in running the affairs of the police service in Central Visayas,” said Usana in a press briefing on Monday, October 14.
Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) also assured the public that their operation will not be affected by the reshuffling of officers in Camp Crame.
“Snappy lahat ng station commanders ko (All my station commander’s are snappy),” Vinluan told reporters on Tuesday. /elb