ILOILO — The designation of a permanent director for the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) remains on hold, with Police Colonel Roland Bulalacao continuing to serve in an acting capacity as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) due to restrictions brought about by the ongoing post-election appointment ban.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), confirmed that Bulalacao will remain as OIC at least until June 11, 2025 — the end of the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) prohibition on major personnel changes during the post-election period.
“So far, there’s no final decision yet,” said Solis in an interview on Monday. “We are awaiting the lifting of the election ban before any movement can take place.”
Bulalacao was installed as OIC of IPPO on May 11, a day before the national and local elections, replacing Police Colonel Bayani Razalan who was reassigned to the PRO-6 Regional Headquarters.
Prior to his designation, Bulalacao held key positions in the PRO-6, including chief of the Regional Logistics and Research Development Division.
Under existing Philippine National Police (PNP) protocols, the regional office is expected to submit a shortlist of three qualified colonels to the Iloilo governor once the selection process begins. The final appointment of the new provincial director will be made at the discretion of the governor based on this list.
“As of now, we haven’t finalized the top three recommendees,” Solis said. “But we do have several qualified police colonels who are ready to step in as provincial director.”
With the electoral restriction still in place, PRO6 emphasized that all personnel decisions regarding IPPO leadership will be deferred to ensure compliance with national guidelines./PN
