MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is implementing a major leadership reshuffle involving senior officials in Metro Manila and several regional commands, with the new assignments taking effect Monday, September 7, 2026.
The reorganization includes new leadership for the Eastern Police District (EPD) and Southern Police District (SPD), while other senior officers are being moved to key national and regional positions.
The reshuffle was ordered under PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and was reported by the Philippine News Agency, with separate reports from Inquirer, GMA News, News5 and The Philippine Star broadly confirming the changes.
Two Metro Manila police districts get new directors
Among the most significant changes are the leadership switches at two major police districts in the National Capital Region.
Brig. Gen. Melecio Buslig Jr., who had been leading the Eastern Police District, is being transferred to head the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO).
He will be replaced as EPD director by Brig. Gen. Roman Arugay, previously assigned to the Office of the PNP Chief.
Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. Glenn Oliver Cinco, the Southern Police District director, is being transferred to head the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA).
Brig. Gen. Rodel Pastor will take over as SPD director.
The changes put new commanders at the helm of two police districts covering large portions of Metro Manila.
What the new assignments mean
The movement of Buslig and Cinco also places them in offices with specialized responsibilities.
The Firearms and Explosives Office, under the PNP Civil Security Group, handles the regulation and management of the legal ownership, control and use of firearms and explosives.
The Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies, also under the Civil Security Group, is responsible for regulating, licensing and supervising private security agencies.
Their transfers therefore extend beyond ordinary district-level command changes and place both officers in positions involving nationwide regulatory and supervisory functions.
Eastern Visayas also gets a new regional director
The reshuffle reaches the regional level as well.
Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, director of Police Regional Office-Eastern Visayas, is being assigned as chief of the Human Rights Affairs Office under the Office of the PNP Chief.
Capoy’s replacement in Eastern Visayas will be Brig. Gen. Romano Cardiño, who is moving from the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region.
Cardiño’s departure from Negros Island Region will open the post for Brig. Gen. Rudecindo Reales.
News5, Inquirer and PNA all reported the same succession involving Capoy, Cardiño and Reales.
The reshuffle comes after other PNP leadership changes
The latest movement is not happening in isolation.
The PNP has undergone several rounds of reassignment involving senior officers in recent months. The Philippine Star reported that a September 4 memorandum signed by Nartatez reassigned six brigadier generals to different units and regional offices.
The latest changes therefore form part of a broader effort to rotate senior officers across command, specialized and regional positions.
For Metro Manila, however, the most immediate impact will be felt in the Eastern and Southern police districts, which are receiving new directors at the same time.
When do the new assignments take effect?
The new assignments take effect September 7, 2026, according to PNA, Inquirer, GMA News and News5.
That means the leadership transition is beginning immediately, with the new district and regional commanders expected to assume their respective responsibilities as the PNP continues its latest organizational reorganization.
Why this reshuffle matters
Leadership changes at the district and regional levels can have a direct effect on policing priorities, command coordination and the deployment of personnel.
The EPD and SPD, in particular, oversee large and densely populated areas of Metro Manila, making the appointment of their new directors closely watched by local communities and law-enforcement stakeholders.
At the same time, the movement of Capoy, Cardiño and Reales changes leadership in two regional police offices while placing Capoy in a national human-rights role.
The reshuffle therefore represents more than a simple transfer of names on a command chart: it places several senior police officers in new positions at a time when the PNP is continuing to reorganize its leadership structure.
For now, the key question is what priorities the incoming commanders will bring—and whether the latest reshuffle will translate into noticeable changes on the ground.
Leave a Reply