Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) director Col. Joselito Clarito has been relieved of his post, 11 months after he took over as the province’s top cop.

According to Clarito, he will be replaced by Col. Usmundo Salibo, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Unit in Region 10 (Northern Mindanao).

The BPPO was supposed to hold a turnover ceremony on Monday morning but the activity was postponed to later this week as Salibo has not yet arrived in the province.

“Tatawagan ko uli siya kung kailan siya makakarating sa Bohol kasi galing pa siya ng Mindanao tapos mag courtesy call pa siya kay RD sa Cebu,” said Clarito.

Clarito vouched for Salibo, saying “mabait yung bagong PD, nakasama ko rin yun sa SAF [Special Action Force].”

Meanwhile, Clarito has no new designated post following his relief.

“Sa ngayon naghihintay pa ako ng order, magpapahinga muna ako ako kasi one year din ako walang bakasyon, family lang muna,” said Clarito.

Clarito claimed that his replacement was part of the PNP’s routine reassignment of officers, noting that provincial directors are to hold the post for at least “six months.”

Meanwhile, the maximum tenure of provincial directors is two years, as provided by the PNP and the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

However, recent provincial directors in the province have not been reaching the two-year limit.

Col. Jonathan Cabal, who was replaced by Clarito, served for nine months from August, 2019 to May, 2020.

Cabal’s predecessor Col. Julius Cesar Gornez held the top BPPO post for seven months from January 2019 to August 2019.

Brigadier General Angeles Geñorga was BPPO chief for almost one year from January 2018 to January 2019.

Prior to that, Brigadier General Felipe Natividad held the post for 18 months from July 2016 to January 2018.

The last police director to have served the full two-year tenure was Brig. General Dennis Agustin whose tour of duty was even extended, serving from 2013 to 2016. (R. Tutas)