3 contenders eyed for PNP chief
DAVAO CITY – In the shortlist for the next national police chief, Chief Supt. Ronald dela Rosa agreed with incoming president Rodrigo Duterte that suppressing the proliferation of illegal drugs and crimes within three to six months is doable.
“It can be done,” Dela Rosa told The STAR.
Dela Rosa, along with Chief Supt. Ramon Apolinario and Rene Espera of the PNP- Anti- Kidnapping Group, is among the officials being groomed to be the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief when Duterte assumes office on June 30.
The three police officials served as chief of police of Davao City under Mayor Duterte.
Dela Rosa pointed out that Duterte has yet to decide who among the three of them will replace PNP chief Director General Ricardo Marquez, who is expected to submit his courtesy resignation to the new president when President Aquino steps down from office.
“We have to wait for the mayor (Duterte) to announce who will be the next PNP chief,” Dela Rosa added.
Dela Rosa is a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Class 1986, while Apolinario belongs to PMA Class 1985.
Duterte met the three police officials at Hotel Elena here Sunday night.
Dela Rosa was relieved as brigade commander of the PNP Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF) two days before the May 9 polls for posting on his Facebook account that he will “crush” those who cheat and sow terror on election day.
Duterte said the appointment of the new PNP chief would be further discussed in the next days.
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya, commander of the Southern Luzon Command, is expected to be appointed as the next chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Visaya also met with Duterte Sunday along with the three police generals.
Duterte said that he would work on strengthening the board of generals (BOG) of the AFP and the PNP so that promotions would be done based on merit and not through influence peddling.
Duterte assured the military that he would not tolerate the padrino system in the promotion of military officials and would just let the BOG screen the candidates for promotion.
“Do not look for me for promotions or assignments. There is the board of generals,” Duterte said.
The BOG consists of the AFP chief of staff, the vice chief of staff, the deputy chief of staff and the heads of the Army, Air Force and Navy.
To fill vacated military posts, the BOG comes up with a shortlist of candidates and submits this to the defense secretary, who will then transmit it to the president.
Duterte also warned AFP officials against using politicians to get promotions.
“Do not get endorsements from the senators, congressmen and others. I’ll automatically reject your applications,” he said.
Duterte promised to make sure that all government positions would go to “the best and the brightest applicants.”
Chief Supt. Victor Deona, chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said Duterte’s promise to address criminality and illegal drugs in the country within six months is feasible.
“We can do this if the whole PNP and the whole government help each other to address this,” said Deona during a press conference at the CIDG regional office inside Camp General Simeon Ola in Legazpi City yesterday.
He said the people must also support law enforcers to address the problem.
Deona said Duterte cannot solve these problems by himself or by the PNP hierarchy alone.
Deona said that an effective campaign against illegal drugs should focus on supply reduction by law enforcement agencies, then enforce demand reduction through an effective information drive against the use of illegal drugs and drug rehabilitation by the health department.