Manila, Philippines — The man in-charge of hunting down the remaining Maguindanao massacre suspects and solving the case itself was included in the list of police generals in the latest round of promotions in the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The promotion of Benito Estipona to Chief Superintendent (equivalent to brigadier general in the military) was approved by President Aquino based on the recommendation of the PNP’s Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board, said Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, Jr., PNP spokesman.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1981, Estipona is currently the deputy director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and concurrent commander of the Special Investigation Task Group Maguindanao which is in charge of hunting down the suspects and solving the grisly killings of 57 people, mostly journalists in Ampatuan town in Maguindanao last year.

Aside from Estipona, six other senior police officials were promoted to the next rank, led by Alfredo Caballes who earned his Police Director rank (two-star rank equivalent to Major General in the military).

Caballes, currently head of the PNP Directorate for Plans, is credited for the implementation of the firearms control program of the government through the PNP and other concerned agencies before and during the May 10 elections.

Also promoted to Chief Superintendents were Francisco Jose Villaroman, the executive officer of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Eastern Mindanao and Rodrigo de Gracia, secretary of the directorial staff.

The promotion of Villaroman came weeks after his appointment as acting director of the Manila Police District (MPD) following the controversial hostage-drama was recalled due to the concerns raised by some sectors over his alleged involvement in some previous cases which he himself denied. Another police officer promoted was Senior Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag.

Also promoted to the rank of Senior Superintendent aside from Mabanag were Anthony Alcaneses, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division of the MIMAROPA (Mindoro provinces, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) regional police and Walter Castillejos, chief of the Regional Police Community Relations Division of the Central Luzon regional police.