MANILA, Philippines – Manila Police District (MPD) chief and known Davao City cop Brigadier General Vicente Danao Jr was promoted as the new top cop for the Calabarzon region, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced on Sunday, October 20.
Beginning Sunday, Danao will lead the Calabarzon Regional Police Office, which watches over the safety of around 15 million Filipinos across the developed and crime-prone provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
The new post is seen as a promotion for Danao because while he no longer serves in the capital, he has control over more cops, land area, and resources. City directors, previously his colleagues, would also now answer to him. Mayors and other politicians in the region would also turn to him for approval of security escorts.
Danao is known as one of the "Davao cops" in the PNP's top brass, famously serving as the last Davao City police chief of Rodrigo Duterte before his presidency. Danao has also been floated as one of the possible successors of resigned police chief General Oscar Albayalde.
As the new Calabarzon top cop, Danao replaces Brigadier General Edward Carranza, who is 5 years his senior in the Philippine Military Academy. Danao belongs to the PMA Sambisig Class of 1991, while Carranza belongs to the PMA Sinagtala Class of 1986.
Carranza has been reassigned as chief of the PNP Logistics Support Service – a demotion for a general who was previously a regional commander.
Another known Davao cop is Brigadier General Filmore Escobal, who after serving as the director of the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG), was assigned to head the Davao Region Police Office.
Escobal takes the vacated post of Brigadier General Marcelo Morales, who in turn has been assigned to take his PSPG top post.
The movement of the generals is part of a massive reshuffling of the PNP's top officials on Sunday, days after they were scolded by President Rodrigo Duterte in a command conference on Tuesday, October 15. Duterte expressed disappointment with the generals after Albayalde was implicated in the "ninja cops" controversy.
With the movements, PNP officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa hopes to prevent corruption within their ranks and regain the President's trust – as well as the public's. – Rappler.com
