ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has not yet received a list of candidates for the next director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO), but he expressed his willingness to work with whomever is appointed.
The list, which will include three qualified nominees, is expected to come from the Philippine National Police (PNP) at the regional level.
At present, Police Colonel Bayani Razalan serves as the officer-in-charge of the IPPO concurrent with his being the chief of the Regional Intelligence Division at the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Razalan assumed his interim position on April 19, replacing Police Colonel Ronaldo Palomo, who has been reassigned to the PRO-6’s Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Section.
Defensor said he has always maintained good working relationships with whoever holds the director position and does not interfere with the selection process.
“I have never recommended anyone specifically for the role. I work with anybody who is placed in the province of Iloilo. Our experience with our provincial directors has generally been positive,” said Defensor.
As for the qualifications for the next IPPO director, Defensor did not specify any changes, indicating that the criteria remain consistent with previous standards. But he emphasized the importance of the new director engaging with local chief executives and the community across Iloilo’s 42 towns and the component city of Passi, to enforce local laws effectively.
During a courtesy call on April 23, Razalan was briefed by Defensor on the “Limpyo Iloilo Kontra Dengue” program, a province-wide initiative aimed at combating dengue through the elimination of mosquito breeding sites.
The governor is keen on leveraging the IPPO’s support for enforcing waste disposal regulations on streets, canals, and national highways.
Moreover, Defensor expressed a desire to enhance intelligence monitoring to curb the influx of illegal drugs into the province.
“We want to increase our intelligence capabilities because we know that illegal drugs don’t just enter through ports; we have long coastlines,” Defensor explained.
Regarding the replacement of Palomo as IPPO director, Defensor respects the PNP’s decision, acknowledging that administrative control over the provincial director and other police officers rests with the national police force.
“If they want to change personnel during any transition, I leave that to them. They have their reasons which are beyond our scope since they manage the administrative control of their personnel,” Defensor said./PN
