{{Short description|Former chief of the Philippine National Police (1951–2025)}} {{Philippine name|Castelo|Calderon}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = Retired P/DIR-GEN | image = | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Oscar Castelo Calderon | birth_date = {{birth date |1951|10|01}} | birth_place = Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, Philippines | death_date = {{Death date and age|2025|03|08|1951|10|01}} | party = | office = Director-General of the Bureau of Corrections | term_start = December 27, 2007 | term_end = October 2010 | president = Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo | predecessor = Ricardo Dapat | successor = Ernesto Diokno | office2 = Chief of the Philippine National Police | president2 = Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo | term_start2 = July 5, 2006 | term_end2 = October 1, 2007 | predecessor2 = P/Dir. Gen. Arturo Lomibao | successor2 = P/Dir. Gen. Avelino Razon | module = {{Infobox police officer | other_names = | child = yes | allegiance = {{flagicon|PHI}} Philippines | service_years = 1973–2007 | service_label = Service | service = Philippine National Police | department_label = Divisions | department = * Office of the Deputy Chief * Central Luzon Police Regional Office (PRO-3) | rank = 20px Police Director General }} | alma_mater = Philippine Military Academy | unit = }}
'''Oscar Castelo Calderon''' (October 1, 1951 – March 8, 2025) was a retired Filipino police officer who served as the chief of the Philippine National Police.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-08 |title=Calderon named new PNP chief |website=The Philippine STAR |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2006/07/05/345472/calderon-named-new-pnp-chief |access-date=2024-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508100141/https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2006/07/05/345472/calderon-named-new-pnp-chief |archive-date=2022-05-08 }}</ref><ref name="tps0806" />
==Personal life and education== Oscar, the eldest of eight Calderon siblings, was born in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija, on October 1, 1951.<ref name="tps0806">{{cite news |last1=Sison |first1=Bebot Jr. |last2=Suerte Felipe |first2=Cecille |title=PNP Chief Director General Oscar C. Calderon: Into The Boiling Cauldron |url=https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/starweek-magazine/2006/08/27/354917/pnp-chief-director-general-oscar-c-calderon-boiling-cauldron |magazine=Starweek Magazine, The Philippine Star |date=August 27, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2024 |archive-date=December 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210171356/https://www.philstar.com/other-sections/starweek-magazine/2006/08/27/354917/pnp-chief-director-general-oscar-c-calderon-boiling-cauldron |url-status=live }}</ref> At the time of his appointment by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Calderon admitted in a radio interview that he was a "distant relative" of the latter.<ref name="gma0706">{{cite news |title=Arroyo names distant relative as new national police chief |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/9967/arroyo-names-distant-relative-as-new-national-police-chief/story/ |work=GMA News Online |date=July 4, 2006 |access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref> Shortly before his appointment, his younger brother, Comm. Leonard Calderon, became deputy chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.<ref name="tps0806" /><ref name="gma0706" />
Calderon was a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) class of 1973.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="tps0806" /><ref name="gma0706" />
While in duty in Mindanao, he later married Ma. Theresa Larrabaster, a local beauty pageant titlist from General Santos. They had at least three children.<ref name="tps0806" />
Calderon died on March 8, 2025, at the age of 73. He was later interred at the Heritage Park in Taguig.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-PNP chief Calderon, 73 |url=https://www.philstar.com/nation/2025/03/11/2427439/ex-pnp-chief-calderon-73 |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=March 11, 2025 |access-date=March 12, 2025 |archive-date=March 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250312133457/https://www.philstar.com/nation/2025/03/11/2427439/ex-pnp-chief-calderon-73 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Career== ===Early years=== After graduation from the PMA, he became a junior officer of the then Philippine Constabulary–Integrated National Police (PC–INP).<ref name="tps0806" />
He spent most of his career in Visayas and Mindanao.<ref name="tps0806" /> Within his first decade in service,<ref name="gma0706" /> he even led campaigns against Moro secessionist rebels,<ref name="tps0806" /> particularly in the provinces of South Cotabato and Maguindanao, and the cities of Zamboanga, General Santos, and Davao while serving as Metro District commander.<ref name="gma0706" />
He was later assigned at the then Criminal Investigation Service of the PC (which later became the PNP).<ref name="gma0706" /> He headed the Police Anti-Crime Emergency Response and the Senior Officers Promotion Board;<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 5, 2006 |title=Calderon maoy bag-ong PNP chief |url=https://www.philstar.com/balita/2006/07/05/345650/calderon-maoy-bag-ong-pnp-chief |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=Philstar.com |archive-date=2024-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210224333/https://www.philstar.com/balita/2006/07/05/345650/calderon-maoy-bag-ong-pnp-chief |url-status=live }}</ref> and served as well—as the police agency's deputy chief for administration.<ref name="gma0706" /> Also, he was the director for Central Luzon,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sapnu |first=Ric |date=January 3, 2003 |title=P1-M seized firecrackers missing at Camp Olivas |url=https://www.philstar.com/nation/2003/01/03/190172/p1-m-seized-firecrackers-missing-camp-olivas |access-date=2024-10-12 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref> Southern Tagalog, and Laguna; as well as head of the Directorate for Comptrollership, and deputy of the Directorate for Investigative and Detective Management.<ref name="gma0706" />
Prior to becoming the PNP chief, he received 41 recognitions from the military and the police,<ref name="gma0706" /> including 18 awards and nine Military Merit Medals.<ref name="tps0806" /> Among them were a Bronze Cross for leading the 1985 rescue operation against a kidnap group in Cebu City;<ref name="tps0806" /><ref name="gma0706" /> and the PNP Senior Officer of the Year Award (1992).<ref name="gma0706" /> Meanwhile, he was also involved in the arrest of former legislator Dennis Roldan, who had been accused of kidnapping.<ref name="gma0706" />
===As PNP Chief=== In July 2006, Calderon, then police Deputy Director General, became the PNP chief, replacing Director General Arturo Lomibao.<ref name="gma0706" /> He was appointed over contenders such as: Deputy Director Generals, Servando Hizon, PNP comptroller; and Avelino Razon, PNP deputy chief for operations (his future successor).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Retiring PNP chief wants to stay in gov't service |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/61856/retiring-pnp-chief-wants-to-stay-in-gov-t-service/story/ |work=GMA News Online |date=September 25, 2007 |access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref>
In his first month in office, on August 1, President Arroyo imposed a ten-week deadline for the solution of high-profile killings of political activists and journalists during her term, particularly at least ten of them; as well as the arrest of suspects.<ref>{{cite news |author1=AsiaNews |author2=South China Morning Post |title=Manila under fire: journalists' murder met by silence and impunity |url=https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Manila-under-fire:-journalists%27-murder-met-by-silence-and-impunity-6889.html |work=AsiaNews |date=August 8, 2006 |access-date=March 13, 2025 |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517071740/https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Manila-under-fire%3A-journalists%27-murder-met-by-silence-and-impunity-6889.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the PNP were instructed for the special investigation, which was headed by ''Task Force Usig'' and whose deadline was on October 7 but only produced little progress as only few cases were filed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Philippines: Climate of Fear Impedes Probe Into Killings (News release) |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/09/28/philippines-climate-fear-impedes-probe-killings |work=Human Rights Watch |date=September 28, 2006 |access-date=March 13, 2025 |archive-date=July 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250718223317/https://www.hrw.org/news/2006/09/28/philippines-climate-fear-impedes-probe-killings |url-status=live }}</ref> By the second week, Calderon claimed solving two of them.<ref name="tps0806" />
===As BuCor chief=== Almost three months after his retirement from police service, on December 27, 2007, Calderon formally assumed the directorship of the Bureau of Corrections,<ref>{{cite news |title=New BuCor chief vows to dismantle NBP 'syndicates' |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/74355/new-bucor-chief-vows-to-dismantle-nbp-syndicates/story/ |work=GMA News Online |date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=March 14, 2025}}</ref> a day after being appointed by the President to replace Ricardo Dapat following the reported unauthorized trip of another former legislator and rape convict Romeo Jalosjos.<ref>{{cite news |last=Salaverria |first=Leila |title=GMA sacks prison chief |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=plM1AAAAIBAJ&dq=oscar+calderon+pnp&pg=PA1&article_id=3111,20625199 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=December 27, 2007 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |pages=A1, A6 |via=Google Books}}</ref> It was during his term that Jalosjos was only freed from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Garcia |first1=Gemma |last2=Tesoro |first2=Rose |title=Jalosjos laya na |url=https://www.philstar.com/bansa/2009/03/19/449501/jalosjos-laya-na |newspaper=Pilipino Star Ngayon |date=March 19, 2009 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |language=tl}}</ref>
Calderon was replaced by newly-installed President Benigno Aquino III (Arroyo's successor) in October 2010.<ref>{{cite news |last=Canlas |first=Jomar |title=Diokno blames all but self |url=https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/manila-times/20110526/281479273008144 |newspaper=The Manila Times |date=May 26, 2011 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |via=PressReader}}</ref> In 2011, following the reported unauthorized trip of another former politician and homicide convict Antonio Leviste, DOJ investigators implicated Calderon for alleged special treatment to Leviste, during his term.<ref>Citations: * {{cite news |last=Punay |first=Edu |title=Ex-BuCor chief summoned to probe |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2011/05/25/689177/ex-bucor-chief-summoned-probe |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=May 25, 2011 |access-date=March 14, 2025}} * {{cite news |last1=Punay |first1=Edu |last2=Calica |first2=Aurea |title=Diokno resigns |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2011/05/31/691154/diokno-resigns/ |newspaper=The Philippine Star |date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref> He was also implicated by a newspaper source in the same case of murder convict Rolito Go.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ramos |first=Marlon |title=BuCor denies raps on graft, coddling 'VIPs' |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/146985/bucor-denies-raps-on-graft-coddling-%E2%80%98vips%E2%80%99 |newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=February 17, 2012 |access-date=March 14, 2025 |archive-date=April 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419003142/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/146985/bucor-denies-raps-on-graft-coddling-%E2%80%98vips%E2%80%99 |url-status=live }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Philippine National Police Chiefs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calderon, Oscar}} Calderon, Oscar Calderon, Oscar Calderon, Oscar Category:Philippine Constabulary personnel Category:1951 births