ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. expressed concern over the sudden removal of Police Colonel Bayani Razalan as director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), stating that he was not consulted prior to the decision.
The move, ordered by the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters, took the governor by surprise, as he was only informed by Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6). However, the regional director did not provide any explanation for the relief order.
While Defensor acknowledged that the PNP’s administrative processes do not require justification for such decisions, he emphasized that he would like to know the reasoning behind Razalan’s removal, especially given the positive results of his leadership in the province.
“I want to know the reason because his performance as our Provincial Director was excellent,” Defensor stated in an interview on April 28. “We can ask the PNP.”
Defensor clarified that, as governor, he respects the PNP’s authority over administrative matters but believes that understanding the rationale behind personnel changes is important for transparency and accountability.
“Although they don’t have to provide a reason, we still want to understand it, considering that Razalan was performing well based on concrete results,” he added.
Despite the changes in leadership, Defensor assured the public that the provincial government’s support for the IPPO would remain unchanged.
“Whoever is appointed as provincial director, the assistance and cooperation from the provincial government will continue as usual,” he said, underscoring the professionalism that guides their working relationship.
The governor refrained from speculating on the reasons behind Razalan’s unexpected removal, maintaining that it was best to await official clarification from the PNP./PN
