3rd DCPO director appointed within six hours by Camp Crame

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—On July 10, 2024, the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) appointed its third director within six hours. Newsline Philippines received a memorandum confirming the rapid changes in leadership.

Patay assumed office at around 8 am on Wednesday, but a call from Camp Crame at approximately 12:38 pm abruptly ended his tenure. This unexpected call relieved him from his post as the city police director, marking one of the shortest terms in the city’s history.

The Newsline team was awaiting an interview with the new police chief when he stepped out of the room to take the career-altering call. The call not only ended his term but also reshuffled the leadership within the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Region XI.

The memorandum, addressed to the Regional Director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Region XI, announced the appointment of Police Colonel Hansel Marantan as the Acting DCPO Director, “effective immediately.” This follows the brief tenures of Colonel Lito Patay and Colonel Sherwin Butil.

Patay assumed the role of DCPO Director at around 8:00 AM, only to be replaced by Colonel Sherwin Butil after four hours and 38 minutes. Shortly after that, Colonel Hansel Marantan was appointed, replacing Colonel Butil.

PRO XI has not officially explained the swift changes in leadership. However, a source at Camp Crame confirmed the legitimacy of the memorandum. PRO XI has yet to issue an order for the official assumption of Marantan as Acting DCPO Director.

Given his status as Acting Director, Marantan will most likely become the DCPO Director, as those designated for temporary office are typically described as Office-in-Charge (OIC).

As the new Acting DCPO Director, Marantan faces the immediate challenge of establishing his leadership and maintaining the DCPO’s operational continuity. PRO XI must provide clear communication and reassurance to the police force and the community regarding these changes.

The community will be closely monitoring the developments, hoping for stability and effective law enforcement despite the rapid changes in leadership. Transparent communication from the PNP and the new DCPO leadership about their plans and strategies will be crucial in maintaining public confidence and ensuring the peace and order that Davaoeños expect and deserve.