ILOILO CITY—To avoid politics affecting their security services, the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office in Western Visayas relieved and reassigned 127 personnel with relatives seeking elective posts in the 2025 May elections.
PNP Western Visayas director Brigadier General Jack Wanky confirmed this development following a directive from the national headquarters, requiring lower units to account for police officers with potential conflicts of interest and temporarily remove them from their current posts.
Officers with relatives up to the fourth degree of consanguinity or affinity will be reassigned to different areas, away from the jurisdictions where their family members are seeking office.
Wanky expressed hope for a fair election process, emphasizing that the initiative aims to prevent any police influence on the election outcome.
The reassigned officers were moved to police stations in Iloilo City and other provinces, while some have been placed in reserve at provincial or city headquarters. Once the election concludes, these officers are expected to return to their original assignments.
Additionally, Wanky ordered the reassignment of chief officers or unit commanders who have completed their maximum two-year tour of duty. As a result, seven chiefs of police who have reached the two-year mark between October 2024 and June 2025 are set for reassignment.
These measures underscore the police leadership’s commitment to upholding impartiality and maintaining public trust as the election season approaches.
