Aklan PNP awaits new provincial director
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Police Regional Office 6 (PRO 6) Director Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol, Jr. (center) witnesses the 2011 Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival / PHOTOS BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Who will be the next permanent Aklan provincial police chief?
This after outgoing Senior Superintendent Epifanio Bragais, Jr. was reassigned in the Philippine National Police (PNP) Camp Crame. Bragais ended his stint at the Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) on January 1 this year and given a new assignment in the national headquarters.

The outgoing provincial director, a native of Bicol and a member of PNP Academy Class of 1987, expressed his gratitude to all the police officers, local chief executives, media, the community and the provincial government for their support after serving for 15-months as APPO chief.

Police Chief Superintendent Cipriano Querol, Jr., who witnessed on Saturday afternoon the annual Kalibo Ati-Atihan Festival, said the three qualified police officials from the Senior Officer Promotion and Placement Board (SOPBB) and recommended by the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be selected by Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez.
"This is my second time since 1983 to witness the Kalibo Ati-Atihan festival. The Ati costumes and religious dance in honor of Sto. Nino are truly unique," Querol said.
Querol said Superintendent Samuel Nacion will be the officer-in-charge of APPO until such time a full time police director with the rank of Senior Superintendent will assume the top police post vacated by Bragais at Camp Pastor Martelino.
At the height of Ati-Atihan festival in the capital town, Bragais told Aklanforum that he will be transferred to Camp Crame at the PNP's Office of the Directorate for Logistics. Bragais also conferred that he supervised the ongoing security plans for the Kalibo Ati-Atihan before he will report to Camp Crame this week.

During his stint, the outgoing Aklan police director has been credited for enhancing the capabilities of the local police force through massive trainings and programs under the Integrated Transformation Program.

The new police building inside the Camp Pastor Martelino was also inaugurated and now occupied by the men and women of APPO during his tour of duty.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Antonio Viernes of PRO-6 is the guest of honor in the blessing of P4.9 million three storey police building in the town of Ibajay on January 17.