LINGAYEN—The relief of Senior Superintendent Rosueto Ricaforte as director of the Pangasinan police has been confirmed but the appointment of his replacement has yet to be settled.

Ricaforte, who is retiring from the service on May 11, his 56th birthday, was ordered relieved from his post by Camp Crame, the national police headquarters.

The turnover to his earlier reported successor, Senior Superintendent Mariel Maniego Magaway, was scheduled at the Police Provincial Office (PPO) at 3:00 p.m. on April 2, but the ceremony did not push through, possibly due to speculations that Magaway’s appointment was suddenly put on hold.

All the expected principal characters, Ricaforte and Magaway and Governor Amado Espino Jr., who was invited as guest of honor and speaker to formally welcome Magaway, were not around for the scheduled ceremony.

“We do not know what happened,” said Superintendent Paquito Navarete, deputy police provincial director for operations, when asked by newsmen why the scheduled turnover did not push through.

An announcement posted at the PPO office names Magaway as Ricaforte’s replacement.

Magaway is reportedly Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo’s choice to replace Ricaforte.

Magaway, who has been serving in Camp Crame, is reportedly married to a lady from Calasiao town.

However, another officer, Senior Superintendent Mariano “Sonny” Verzosa, was also rumored being eyed for the post prior to the DILG announcement.

Verzosa is the chief of intelligence of the Police Regional Office and the former chief of police of Dagupan City.

PROTOCOL

Under the Philippine National Police law, the PNP submits three names to the governor from which he will choose the next police provincial director.

A breach of protocol and the PNP law is suspected as Espino was reportedly not consulted on Magaway’s appointment, hence the sudden cancellation of the turnover ceremony

Espino hinted this when he commented in the morning of April 2 that the turnover of command in the PPO was not properly coordinated with him.

Espino, a former police colonel who held the position of police regional director of Region 1, said he merely received a text message about the supposed turnover of command at dawn of Monday from a person he did not identify.

In the absence of a permanent appointment of a successor, P/Superintendent Michael Nicolas, deputy police director for administration, has been temporarily appointed OIC.

Nicolas is expected to hold the OIC post briefly since his rank is below the requirement for a police provincial director.

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