Gamboa appointed as officer-in-charge of PNP

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año (center) presides the simple turn-over of command of the PNP between Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa (left) and Gen. Oscar Albayalde, who announced on Monday he went on non-duty status weeks before his retirement. (Photo from PNP)

MANILA, Philippines — Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, deputy chief for administration of the Philippine National Police (PNP), was appointed on Monday as officer-in-charge of the police force as Gen. Oscar Albayalde relinquished his post as PNP chief.

The appointment was made through a simple turn-over rite between Gamboa and Albayalde at Camp Crame in Quezon City, which was presided by Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

Gamboa is a mistah (classmate) of Albayalde at the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala Class of 1986. He had just been appointed on October 12 as deputy chief for administration — the second-highest post in the police force.

“As officer-in-charge, I take the responsibility to manage all activities of the PNP command, assisted by the directorial staff that exercises specific administrative and operational functions in their respective operating arms among the national support units,” said Gamboa, who had presided over the regular press briefing at the main police camp.

“With this responsibility, I assure the continuous implementation of all ongoing campaigns on internal security, anti-criminality, anti-illegal drugs, and anti-corruption in line with the national priorities and corruption of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is expected to appoint the 23rd chief PNP in the coming days,” he said.

READ: BREAKING: Albayalde steps down as PNP chief

Gamboa then said that police officers should continue their job despite the sudden transition in the PNP leadership, after Albayalde decided to go on non-duty status until his retirement on November 8 amid the investigation on the alleged drug recycling in Pampanga in 2013.

“This is a temporary sequence of events that’s going to happen in the next few days. This is a transition but we should not be remiss of our job. Let’s do our job — you know your job — on a daily basis, what you’re supposed to do, and let not the other controversies affect us. Let’s continue to work which is to serve and to protect our people,” said Gamboa.

Gamboa himself is one of the high-ranking officials that were floated to be the possible successors of Albayalde alongside Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, currently the deputy chief for operations or the top three post in the PNP, and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, now the chief of the directorial staff or the fourth highest post in the police force. /je