BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia’s first directive to the incoming acting city police director is to ensure that health protocols are enforced as the city battles the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Police Colonel Manuel Placido has been assigned to lead the Bacolod City Police Office effective Sept. 28 after Police Colonel Henry Biñas was relieved as city police director.
Biñas is now the chief of the Directorial Staff of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Drug Enforcement Group at the national headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
“The first thing I will tell him, everybody anyway knows this, is to implement the protocols whatever Bacolod’s quarantine status will be. I hope he will focus on that. Our priority is still COVID-19. This is a specialized field, I’d like him to take a good look at it,” Leonardia said.
As of early Wednesday, Placido, whose previous assignment was with the Civil Security Group, has yet to arrive in the city, due to travel restrictions. Bacolod is under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until Sept. 30.
“Flights have been canceled. They might take a roll-on, roll-off vessel passing through Batangas,” Leonardia said.
He added that Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, director of Police Regional Office 6, told him that once Placido arrives in Bacolod, the three of them would hold a meeting.
Biñas, who has served Bacolod since Jan. 12, 2019, and Placido are both members of the PNP Academy Class 1995.
Leonardia said he was banking on PNP chief, General Camilo Cascolan’s endorsement of Placido to head the BCPO.
“I understand that General Cascolan personally knows [Placido]. General Cascolan has been Bacolod so I also know him,” he added. (With a report from PNA/PN)
