POLICE Brigadier General Valeriano de Leon has been relieved as director of Central Visayas Police Regional Office.

Seven others, including Bulacan police chief Colonel Emma Libunao, have also been relieved from their posts and reassigned as part of a revamp, the third under Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa.

De Leon confirmed in a phone interview Thursday, February 6, that he has been transferred to Gamboa's office in Camp Crame.

Asked why, De Leon responded, “hindi ko rin alam sa kanila.” (I also don't know.)

He will be replaced by Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, the Deputy Regional Director for Operations of the National Capital Regional Police Office effective February 6.

This was contained in a letter of unit reassignment signed by Major General Cesar Hawthorne Binag, acting PNP chief of the directorial staff.

Colonel Gil Francis Tria from the Highway Patrol Group was also relieved. Like De Leon, Tria and Libunao were also both reassigned to the office of the Chief PNP.

Lieutenant Colonels Orlando Castil Jr, Carl Omar Habaradas and Joel Aparejado and Major Restituto Granil, who were all from the Central Luzon police office, will be transferred to the Police Holding and Accounting Unit.

From the Police Regional Office in Davao (PRO-11), Lieutenant Colonel Shiela Prospero Ballesteros was transferred to the Directorate for Information and Communication Technology Management (DICTM).

Gamboa earlier ordered the reorganization of senior officials in the PNP for two reasons: retirement of some senior police officers; and President Rodrigo Duterte's order amid the controversies being faced by the PNP such as the ninja cops issue that tagged former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde. (SunStar Philippines)