BY MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO – A month after he was issued an ultimatum to improve the police’s campaign against illegal gambling, Police Colonel Ronaldo Palomo will be replaced as director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).
Starting today, the IPPO will have an officer-in-charge (OIC) director, according to the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Police Colonel Bayani Razalan, the chief of PRO-6’s Regional Intelligence Division, is replacing Palomo.
According to PRO-6 director Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, a turnover of command will be held today at the IPPO in Santa Barbara, Iloilo, at 10 a.m.
The change of leadership got a clearance from Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., Wanky added.
Last month, on March 18, Wanky warned that Palomo could be removed from his post if he did not improve efforts in the fight against illegal gambling, particularly “bookies”.
Between March 3 and 10, the IPPO conducted only three successful anti-illegal gambling operations, data from the PRO-6 showed.
Wanky expressed his disappointment, noting that he had expected an increase in police operations following the cessation of operations by the 7 Aces Games and Amusement Corp., the Small Town Lottery (STL) authorized agent corporation in Iloilo province, on Feb. 28.
But he gave Palomo a chance to improve his performance on combating illegal gambling.
“If his performance does not improve and their arrests or operations remain very low, I will recommend his removal from the position,” said Wanky last month.
The region’s top police officer had previously told Panay News that he had received reports of high-ranking police officials protecting illegal gambling operations in the province. He mentioned no names.
Both Palomo and Razalan were members of the Philippine National Academy – Kabalikat Class of 1998.
Defensor picked Palomo, a native of Passi City, as IPPO director in February 2023 replacing Police Colonel Noel Aliño.
Aliño was also a classmate of Palomo and Razalan./PN
