3 top cop bets in dead heat

The President stressed that he wanted his next PNP chief to possess honesty, but noted that it would be a rare trait.

While describing those shortlisted to become the next chief of the 185,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP) as “very good” officers, President Rodrigo Duterte is taking his time before appointing one — stressing the sensitivity of the post.

The President, during an interview Tuesday night, cited his leadership style of not meddling into the affairs of any agency after appointing somebody.

The National Police Commission listed PNP officer-in-charge PLt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, PNP deputy chief for operations PLt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan and PNP chief directorial staff PMaj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar as contenders for the post left by resigned chief Oscar Albayalde.

“They’re all good. They’re soldiers. They came from the academy. I have no doubt about their integrity, but I am taking my time appointing one,” Mr. Duterte said.

Gamboa and Cascolan are members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1986, while Eleazar belonged to PMA Class of 1987.

But the Chief Executive cited the sensitivity of the PNP top post in carefully studying his decision on who will head the police force.

“Because he would be appointing the heads of every department there, especially the controller and the finance people,” Mr. Duterte said.

“Whom he wants to appoint there, who are his friends? Because once I give you a position, I don’t meddle,” he further said.

The President stressed that he wanted his next PNP chief to possess honesty, but noted that it would be a rare trait.

Since assuming office in 2016, Mr. Duterte only had two appointed chief PNP, namely, now Sen. Ronald de la Rosa and Oscar Albayalde, who resigned weeks ahead of his mandatory retirement last 8 November at the height of allegations he benefitted from an anti-illegal drug raid in 2013.

The President advised Albayalde to go on leave amid the Senate inquiry into the alleged anomalous 2013 drug raid in Mexico, Pampanga. At that time, Albayalde was the Pampanga Provincial Police director.

During the Senate hearing, it was established that more than 200 kilograms of shabu were seized by Albayalde’s men, led by PMaj. Rodney Baloyo, but they declared only 36 kilos.

They were also accused of exacting millions of pesos from suspected drug lord Johnson Lee, who was freed and subsequently replaced with another suspect.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee already recommended the filing of charges against Albayalde and his former men.

Relatedly, in a 13-page rejoinder-affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice, Baloyo sought for the dismissal of the case filed against them.

Baloyo pointed out that the complaint filed by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) no basis considering its failure to present Chinese national Ding Wenkun as a witness in the proceedings.

According to the CIDG, the Chinese national was used as the fall guy in the drug operation.

“The truth of the matter could have been laid to rest by simple expedient of presenting Ding Wenkun as a witness himself, but the complainant PNP-CIDG, for inexplicable and unjustifiable reasons, has consistently failed to present him before the Department of Justice ever since the inception of this criminal complaint, or since way back in the year 2014,” Baloyo said.

He belittled the sworn statement of Neil Gernace which was used as substitute witness by the PNP-CIDG in the absence of Wenkun.