BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the local government is still awaiting the shortlist of qualified senior officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) where the next City Director of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) will be chosen by the local screening committee to be convened for the purpose.
The city chief executive said the latest communication that he received from PNP chief Director-General Ronald dela Rosa is that the Senior Officers Placement Board of the PNP is currently evaluating the qualifications of the senior officers to be included in the shortlist for submission to him anytime.
Further, dela Rosa informed the City Mayor that while the PNP is still working on the shortlist, BCPO officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Ramil L. Saculles still remains as the BCPO Acting City Director.
“We do not object to the stand of the PNP chief because we know that the police officials are working on the shortlist. We hope we will receive a copy of the shortlist in due time so that the members of the local screening committee can be convened to do the required process in the selection of the next BCPO chief,” Domogan stressed.
He asserted that in the city, the selection of the chief of police is different because a local screening committee is created for the purpose of screening the applicants in the shortlist unlike in other areas where the local chief executive handpicks from those who were included in the shortlist of qualified senior police officers.
The local screening committee will base its selection on the criteria on availability, programs, performance, innovations and interview.
According to him, the result of the evaluation of the committee members on who will be the next chief of police of the city who will serve a prescribed 2-year tour of duty will be forwarded to the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera.
Domogan explained candidates for the BCPO chief of police will have to undergo the rigid screening process of the local government although the decision to select the chief of police is vested in the local chief executive but there is a need for him to involve concerned department heads in the selection process.
The PNP earlier forwarded to the local chief executive the shortlist of qualified senior police officers for the vacant BCPO position but he availed of his right to return the shortlist and requested the PNP to include those who are qualified and available for interview, particularly those senior officers from Baguio and the Cordillera, so that the local screening committee will have a wider choice to select the next BCPO chief.
Aside from the local chief executive, other members of the committee will include a number of department heads and representatives from the media.
By Dexter A. See