ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) welcomed the appointment of National Capital Region police chief Major General Debold Sinas as the new head of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
It vowed to support Sinas who made headlines in May for breaching coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quarantine rules.
“We believe in his capacity to lead the PNP because he was appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte,” said Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson.
Sinas formally assumed his new post yesterday, Nov. 10. He succeeded General Camilo Pancratius Cascolan who retired on the same day.
Cascolan, for his part, urged policemen to support Sinas, whose mandatory retirement is in May next year.
Sinas is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1987 whose members include Lieutenant Generals Guillermo Eleazar and Cesar Hawthorne Binag and Major General Joselito Vera Cruz, the second, third and fourth in command of the PNP, respectively.
Sinas drew flak after dozens of police officials attended a pre-dawn birthday serenade for him in May despite a ban on gatherings by over 10 people while Luzon was still under enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the public outcry, President Rodrigo Duterte defended him, saying he should not be blamed for the surprise birthday party.
“We will fully support his programs and we are hoping he will also support us. We look forward to more assistance in PRO-6, especially in the augmentation of patrol cars in remote areas,” Malong said./PN
