Binag named new PNP directorial staff chief

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP) chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa on Thursday named Maj. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag as the new Chief of the Directorial Staff, the police force's fourth-highest post.

Binag, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Hinirang Class of 1987, replaced Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, who was promoted to the PNP's third top spot as deputy chief for operations (DCO).  

He is formerly the chief of the Directorate for Information and Communication Technology Management (DICTM), the implementing unit of the SMART Policing Program which is included in the police force’s six-year Digital Transformation Roadmap.

“As TCDS (The Chief of Directorial Staff), he will supervise and synchronize the functions of the PNP Directorial Staff Offices in support of the operations of the Police Regional Offices and National Support Units. Compared to a corporate structure, the Chief PNP is the president and CEO (chief executive officer); the DCA (deputy chief for administration) and DCO are the SVPs/CFO (senior vice presidents/chief financial officer) and COO (chief operating officer), respectively, while the TCDS is the General Manager,” Gamboa said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

Binag also served as regional director of the Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas), deputy police commissioner of the United Nations Mission in Liberia and senior executive assistant at the Office of the Chief PNP.

Gamboa said Brig. Gen. Dionardo Carlos will replace Binag as DICTM chief while Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz was promoted from deputy director to director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Col. Rhoderick Armamento, current deputy regional director for operations of the Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon), will take over as CIDG's acting deputy director.

“I am expecting the Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board (SOPPB) to submit further recommendations for the series of projected reorganization of PNP officials to key positions in different levels of the organization in anticipation of the retirement of some senior officers in the coming months,” Gamboa said.

Gamboa said the latest round of reorganization is part of the continuing reform in the command structure of the police force. (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)