The newly-designated commander of the police forces in Central Visayas was a “no show” at yesterday’s send-off ceremony of his predecessor, Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino.
A schedule mix-up prevented Chief Supt. Prudencio “Tom” Bañas – who heads the National Police Human Rights Office prior to his reassignment as Constantino’s replacement – from assuming his new post in Cebu, officials at Camp Sergio Osmeña Jr. said.
Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, the deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office 7, will temporarily hold the fort until Bañas formally takes over his command.
According to a Visayas Daily Star report, Bañas is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1983.
He used to be operation officer of the defunct Negros Island Police Task Force, that supervised the internal security operations of the police forces in Negros Occidental from 1996 to 1998. Bañas was simultaneously named chief of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office and promoted to star rank in July last year.
He recently made the headlines after fugitive commercial model Deniece Cornejo reportedly surrendered to him to face a criminal complaint filed against her by TV personality, Vhong Navarro.
The change of command was the second major personnel movement at PRO-7 in less than two months. Last March, Senior Supt. Conrad Capa was transferred to PRO-7 from Camp Crame’s Task Force Tugis. Like his new boss, Capa was credited for the capture of high-profile fugitive, businessman Delfin Lee, before he was shipped out from the national police headquarters.
Constantino meanwhile, will head the Directorate for Police-Community Relations which will pave the way for his acquiring a second star.
Constantino was emotional as he bid his troops goodbye at the Camp Osmeña quadrangle. His voice cracked several times as he tried to keep his emotions in check during his farewell speech.
In his nine-month watch at PRO-7, Constantino led the regional police force in responding to the Oct. 15 earthquake that hit Cebu and Bohol and Supertyphoon Yolanda in November. It was also during his watch when Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, suspected leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army were captured in Cebu.