Bartolome, PNP's No. 4 man, is new police chief

(Updated 2:34 p.m.) Deputy Director General Nicanor Bartolome has been chosen as the next chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), replacing the retiring Raul Bacalzo. The announcement was made Thursday by deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte in Malacañang. Bacalzo will reach the mandatory retirement age of 56 on September 15, but the turnover ceremony will be held on Friday, September 9, at Camp Crame in Quezon City. At present, Bartolome is the chief of the PNP directorial staff, considered as the No. 4 man in the police organization. He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1980. Friday's turnover ceremony is expected to be presided by President Benigno Aquino III, the commander in chief of the military and the police. Both Aquino and Bartolome are from Tarlac, with Bartolome having served as its provincial police director from 2005 to 2007. He is from Gerona town. Bartolome, who is married and has two children, also served as PNP spokesman two times — from 1999 to 2001, and from 2007 to 2009. Before he became chief of PNP directorial staff last May, Bartolome was director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). - Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News Photo courtesy of PNP Public Information Office