Bagong appointed chiefs… Bacarro sa AFP, Azurin sa PNP at De Lemos sa NBI – P-BBM

ni Lolet Abania | August 1, 2022

Nagtalaga na si Pangulong Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ng mga bagong lider ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) at National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Sa isang mensahe sa mga reporters ngayong Lunes, kinumpirma ni Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles ang mga appointments nina Lieutenant General Bartolome Vicente O. Bacarro bilang AFP chief of staff; Police Lieutenant General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. bilang PNP chief at Medardo de Lemos bilang NBI director.

Sa Agosto 8, nakaiskedyul ang change-of-command para sa AFP, “[To give Bacarro time] to wind down at the Southern Luzon Command and provide him with the transition to his new position in Camp Aguinaldo,” sabi ni Cruz-Angeles.

Ayon kay Cruz-Angeles, si Bacarro ang magiging unang AFP chief na mabibigyan ng isang fixed three-year term alinsunod sa bagong batas.

Matatandaan na nilagdaan ni dating Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Abril 13, 2022, ang Republic Act 11709 kung saan nakasaad, “sets a fixed three-year tour of duty for the AFP chief of staff, vice chief of staff, the deputy chief of staff, the major service commanders (Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy), unified command commanders, and inspector general, ‘unless sooner terminated by the President.’”

Nakamit ni Bacarro ang kanyang Medal of Valor award noong Disyembre 21, 1991 dahil sa kanyang katapangan sa naganap na 10-oras na encounter sa mga communist rebels sa Maconacon, Isabela.

Si Bacarro, na bahagi ng Philippine Military Academy “Maringal” Class of 1988, nabigyan din ng iba’t ibang posisyon sa 5th Infantry Division, kabilang ang platoon leader, company commander, administrative officer, intelligence officer, operations officer, civil-military operations office at secretary to the general staff.

Noong Nobyembre 2004, na-designate si Bacarro bilang Army spokesperson at chief ng public affairs office sa Fort Bonifacio. Naging spokesperson sa AFP at chief ng Public Affairs Office sa Camp Aguinaldo.

Si Azurin naman ay bahagi ng PMA “Makatao” Class of 1989, na kasalukuyang chief ng Northern Luzon Police area.

Nagsilbi si Azurin bilang director ng Directorate for Comptrollership (DC) gayundin sa Directorate for Information and Communication Technology Management (DICTM) sa Camp Crame.

Si Azurin ay nagsilbi rin bilang chief ng Maritime Group at kalaunan naging regional director ng Police Regional Office 1.

Samantala, si De Lemos ay naglingkod sa NBI ng mahigit sa 30 taon at siya ring most senior officer sa bureau, ayon pa kay Cruz-Angeles.

“Director de Lemos rose from the ranks and his appointment as NBI Director is a strong indication of President Marcos’ commitment in strengthening the system of ‘meritocracy’ in the promotion, placement and hiring of government personnel,” sabi ni Cruz-Angeles.