Eleazar as next PNP chief? ‘Too early’ to talk about it, he says

NCRPO Director Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar

MANILA, Philippines — National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Friday shunned as “too early” talks on who would succeed Gen. Oscar Albayalde at the helm of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“Mahirap pa pag-usapan ngayon ‘yan, napaka-aga pa. Marami pa tayong dapat gawin now that we have started to gain trust and confidence ng taumbayan,” he said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel.

(It is difficult to talk about that because it is too early. We have a lot of things to do now that we have started to gain the trust and confidence of the people.)

Eleazar’s name is being floated as among top contenders to replace Albayalde as PNP chief. Albayalde is set to retire this November, upon reaching policemen’s mandatory retirement age of 56.

The two other names being floated as possible next PNP chief are deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa and directorial staff chief Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan.

READ: PNP chief names 3 senior officials as possible successor

Albayalde himself was NCRPO director before he was named last year as successor of then PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa, who is now a senator.

While he is delighted with Albayalde’s recommendation of him, Eleazar said that “at the end of the day, it will be the President who will decide” on who should lead the over 180,000-strong PNP and play a key role in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs and criminality.

“Whoever will occupy that pinakamataas na posisyon, everybody will support him just like what we have been doing. Lagi nating ginagawa ‘yan kung sino ang napipili ng ating Presidente,” he said.

(Whoever will occupy the highest position will be supported by everyone just like what we have been doing. We always do that to whoever gets picked by the President.)

/kga