DEPUTY Director General Nicanor Bartolome is emerging as the top candidate to succeed Director General Raul Bacalzo, National Police chief, with the admission of senior officials that the appointment of Bacalzo’s successor solely relies upon the decision of President Aquino.
Bacalzo, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1977, will retire next month and this early, at least four officials, including one of his PMA classmates, Deputy Director General Benjamin Belarmino, are being touted to replace him.
However, some officers said Bartolome, currently the No. 4 man in the National Police, being the chief of the directorial staff, will likely succeed Bacalzo, at least owing to three reasons.
One, they said, is seniority; second is service; and the third, which is the most important consideration, is the trust and confidence of the President.
A senior officer said that with the exceptions of Belarmino and Deputy Director General Raul Castañeda, the deputy chiefs for administration and operations or the No. 2 and 3 men of the National Police, respectively, Bartolome is the most senior among the other remaining contenders.
“While Belarmino may be senior than Bartolome, the former will be retiring in February, which means there will be a gap in the National Police’s plans and programs if we are looking at continuity as a factor,” he said.
As for Castañeda, a member of PMA Class 1978, his membership in the class that adopted former President Gloria Arroyo as an honorary member may work against him, leaving the contest principally between Belarmino and Bartolome.
Bartolome may be younger than Belarmino, but no less than Bacalzo admitted that under the law that created the National Police, the President can appoint any officer from the rank of chief superintendent as National Police chief.
Another senior officer said Bartolome has the most important consideration in heading the PNP, and this is the trust and confidence of Mr. Aquino, and Belarmino was even bowing to this.
During the recently concluded Defense and Arms Sporting Show, Belarmino, who was asked about the possible list of contenders for the next National Police chief, hinted that Bartolome may be Bacalzo’s successor.
He said although there are still officers who may be senior to Bartolome, and this includes him and Castañeda, “the position of Chief National Police is a position of trust and confidence by the President.”
Belarmino said they will bow to the choice of Mr. Aquino.
Aside from enjoying Mr. Aquino’s trust, Bartolome is also from the President’s home province of Tarlac.
Another official said Bartolome has been positioned to lead the National Police under the Arroyo administration, and this was evidenced by his appointment as director of the National Capital Region Police Office, considered the foremost police command and even nearest to Malacañang, where he got his second star.
Belarmino said that aside from him and Bacalzo, there are still two members of Class 1977 and several members of the disgraced Class 1978 in the force, but they are holding lower positions.
