By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – Police Colonel Ritchie Cruzero, deputy city director for administration of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), was temporarily assigned as officer-in-charge of the BCPO, pending the assumption of the next city police director.
Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, regional director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, revealed this in a text message to Daily Guardian on Friday afternoon after confirming the relief of Police Colonel Noel Aliño, outgoing BCPO director effective July 19.
Aliño was reassigned to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at the National Capital Region (NCR) as regional chief. His relief came a week after four shooting incidents occurred in various areas of the city.
Wanky said Aliño’s relief was due to career advancement and did not elaborate further. He did not provide details about the next BCPO director but mentioned that Cruzero will take over until after the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22.
In a statement, Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said Aliño’s transfer is part of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) promotion process. Benitez added that Aliño will be transferred to CIDG Manila as part of the internal procedure.
“We will wait for the official announcement from the office of the Regional Director regarding who will replace (CD) Aliño,” Benitez stated.
The mayor expressed his gratitude to Aliño for his dedicated service and contributions to the city’s safety and security. “He did a commendable job during his stay here in the City of Smiles,” Benitez remarked.
Benitez is looking forward to working closely with the new city police director to ensure the welfare and protection of Bacolod residents and maintain peace and order in the city.
Aliño’s relief came a year after he assumed office on April 18, 2023, succeeding then BCPO director Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) northern Negros Occidental has installed a new commander, Coast Guard Commander Jansen Benjamin, yesterday. Benjamin replaced Commander Paterno Belarmino, who has been transferred to the PCG national headquarters after serving the northern province for a few months.
Benjamin is concurrently holding two positions as commander of the PCG Search and Rescue (SAR) based in Hinoba-an town and as the newly-designated head of PCG northern Negros Occidental. In 2019, Benjamin also led the PCG Negros Occidental before it was divided into two areas.
