The incoming director of the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO), Col. Osmundo Salibo, arrived in the province on Monday night but decided to undergo a brief quarantine before officially taking over as the province’s top cop.

BPPO deputy director for operations Major Norman Nuez said Osmundo, who was previously assigned as chief of the police’s maritime unit in Northern Mindanao, arrived from Cebu City where he paid courtesy call to Police Regional Office (PRO 7) director Brig. General Ronnie Montejo.

According to Nuez, Salibo submitted a negative RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test upon his arrival in Bohol.

A negative RT-PCR test is required from any person entering the province, while the previously mandatory 14-day quarantine has been scrapped.

“Naniguro lang siya og preventive quarantine, siguro two to three days lang. Pero naa na siya’y negative result,” Nuez said.

Meanwhile, outgoing BPPO director Col. Joselito Clarito is set to be accorded an award by the provincial police command.

Nuez said that an “exit conference” led by Gov. Art Yap will be held at the Bellevue Resort in Panglao on Wednesday.  

“Ang akong nahibaw-an dunay exit conference kay tagaan og award ang outgoing PD, protocol mana nato. Di pa pud ni confirmed, pero the governor is arranging an exit conference for outgoing PD Joselito Clarito,” said Nuez.

Montejo, in a press briefing at the PRO-7 headquarters on Monday, said that Clarito’s relief was ordered by higher police authorities and was part of the regular reassignment of police officers in the country.

“Normal ra namo na palitan. Walay [issue]. Wala tay nadawat,” said Montejo. (R. Tutas)