Danao eyed as next NCRPO chief

Danao is currently the chief of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A (Calabarzon) and served as former director of the Manila Police District. (PNA file photo)

MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan on Wednesday said he is considering Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao, Jr. to be the next top cop of Metro Manila.

“Well, whether NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) or CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) is good but I would rather choose him for NCRPO because he is much better in the NCRPO. He is doing good. He did his best and he has done good in PRO 4A. Not even that, he even has a reputation in the service and he is a very competent person too,” Cascolan said in a TV interview.

Danao is currently the chief of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A (Calabarzon) and served as former director of the Manila Police District.

Cascolan, meanwhile, said current NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas could possibly be promoted to a higher position.

“I know General Sinas is very good, he has done his job well in NCRPO and he has already contributed a lot. The guy deserves also an evaluation and of course, a promotion too. He has done good things and that’s all really I can say. I think he needs to be up to the directorial staff or in a certain position that is fit most especially for it.

I believe he is an expert most especially with regard to training of personnel and training of recruits,” he added.

Sinas previously drew flak from netizens after photos of his birthday bash at the NCRPO headquarters in Taguig City went viral on social media as mass gatherings and celebrations are prohibited under community quarantine rules.

“We will evaluate him (Sinas) properly, I will evaluate him properly. I do not choose anybody, I don’t have people under me that I choose and at the same time they are all my people,” he said.

Cascolan said he is also planning to recommend to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año the promotion of at least five senior police officials to the rank of three-star generals whom he is yet to name.

Meanwhile, Cascolan also denied targeting the “men” of former PNP chiefs during the massive reshuffle in the agency after he took office.

“Actually, I had a lot of people under Generals (Oscar) Albayalde and (Archie) Gamboa and I will tell they are in the right position right now.

I even promoted them to chief of staff. Ask the people around you. I think it would be fair to me for everybody to seek out whom I placed,” he said.

However, Cascolan admitted that there were police officers who got demoralized after being transferred to other posts but he noted that such movement in the organization is normal and there is nothing personal about it.

“I think there is only one person who was demoralized because he was not able to understand the reorganization of the PNP. You know when you were assigned in a certain position you just have to accept it and (don’t)ask why.

It’s not even a demotion or what, it’s even a two-star position for them and it would be a three-star position for them. That’s the DIPO (Directorate for Integrated Police Operations) because we need people who are snappy, good and have the moral ascendancy and service reputation to lead the DIPO,” he said.

Around 12 police officers were included in the reshuffle including Central Visayas police director Brig. Gen. Albert Ferro whose assignment as acting director of Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) for Southern Luzon was canceled on the day it was supposed to take effect.

Cascolan admitted that Ferro asked him to be retained in his position. He also admitted that Ferro was his “man.”

He added that he canceled some “midnight appointments” made by Gamboa but refused to elaborate.

He also admitted that he re-assigned former PNP Health Service director Brig. Gen. Herminio Tadeo Jr. as deputy director of the Directorate for Information and Communications Technology Management.

Before his retirement, Gamboa designated Tadeo to head the PNP Finance Service.