Malacañang confirmed on Wednesday, November 10, that President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Lieutenant General Dionardo Carlos as the next chief of Philippine National Police (PNP).
Duterte signed Carlos’ appointment effective on November 13, according to Malacañang spokesperson Harry Roque.
“We are confident that Gen. Carlos will continue making the PNP a professional, capable, and reform-oriented organization that we envision it to be,” Harry Roque said in a statement.
Carlos is set to be the 27th PNP chief and the seventh under President Duterte. He is currently heading the PNP directorial staff and a former spokesperson under PNP chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa from 2016 to 2018. He also served as head of its Aviation Security Group. He later on served as Director of Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) in Visayas.
Meanwhile, the Lieutenant will replace the outgoing General Guillermo Eleazar during the Change of Command Ceremony this week, who is set to retire on Saturday as he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Carlos will hold the top police post until March 2022, when he is also set to retire at the mandatory age of 56. This means Duterte will still appoint Carlos’ replacement before he steps down as president next year.