A FORMER Manila Police District chief who was fired from his post in the wake of the 12-hour hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand on August 23, 2010 and the official who replaced him are bowing out of the service this month.

Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Y. Magtibay, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1978 will officially retire from the service on Wednesday, a year and three months after the tourist bus tragedy.

Shortly after he was relieved as MPD director, Magtibay was assigned at the Office of the Chief PNP and later at the PNP Program Management Office which supervises the PNP Integrated Transformation Program.

Magtibay’s successor, Chief Supt. Roberto P. Rongavilla of PMA Class 1979 will retire on Sunday after commanding  Manila’s Finest for more than a year until he was replaced by Senior Supt. Alejandro F. Gutierrez, an officer from the defunct Integrated National Police.

Rongavilla, who was given retirement honors yesterday afternoon at Camp Crame, replaced Magtibay at the MPD shortly after the latter was relieved in the aftermath of the Rizal Park tragedy where he acted as the police ground commander.

Magtibay was relieved as MPD director on the same day he filed a leave of absence from his post pending the Philippine National Police’s investigation into the lapses committed by the MPD Special Weapons and Action team and other concerned units that figured in the crisis.