BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
PBrig. Gen. Leo Francisco formally took command of the Police Regional Office 6 at Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City yesterday.
Francisco, former Manila Police District chief, replaced PBrig. Gen. Flynn Dongbo, who was reassigned to Camp Crame.
PLt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, Area Police Command – Visayas chief, presided over the change of PRO 6 command leadership from Dongbo to Francisco.
As the Deputy Chief for Administration, Sermonia was previously the second highest official in the PNP heirarchy.
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. yesterday justified his order for the reshuffle of more than 80 ranking police officials, including the three top posts of the force’s command group.
Azurin said the movement was for “career growth” and the designation of more seasoned senior officers.
Azurin said the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were still progressive in some parts of Visayas such as Samar that is why he designated Sermonia.
“General Sermonia is well known as a good organizer, as a good advocate in organizing and mobilizing the community,” he stressed.
As APC chief, Sermonia supervises the three regional police commands in Visayas.
So I think we need somebody there to organize and bring awareness to all the different barangays in the Visayas region, that we need to help solve the problem of insurgency, Azurin said.* with report from PNA
