NCRPO chief backs women for top posts

TURNOVER CEREMONY Former NCRPO director Guillermo Eleazar (right) hands over Metro Manila’s highest police post to ex-Central Visayas top cop Debold Sinas at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. Looking on is PNP officer in charge Archie Gamboa (center). —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — ֫The newly assumed director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Wednesday that he would appoint policewomen to the top Metro police posts.

Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas told reporters that he wanted to replicate what he did in Central Visayas as the regional police chief.

“Fifteen to 20 percent of our strength are women. Why not utilize them in the operational aspect? Why relegate them to administrative [tasks] when they could do their job in operations, competing with their male counterparts? And I know they can do it,” Sinas said at the sidelines of the turnover ceremony at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Sinas was instrumental in the creation last month of the first all-women police station in Maria town, Siquijor.

Dubbed “Mariang Pulis,” the municipal police station was manned by 21 policewomen who had undergone training in different operational procedures.

During his term, seven of the top police posts in Central Visayas were also headed by women.

High-ranking policewomen

They included Col. Royina Garma, former Cebu City police chief who is now general manager of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, and Col. Angela Rejano, head of the Siquijor provincial police.

The others were Lt. Col. Maribel Getigan (Danao), Lt. Col. Emelie Santos (Bogo), Lt. Col. Janette Rafter (Toledo), Police Lt. Col. Clarissa Gabutan (Carcar) — all in Cebu province; and Lt. Col. Catherine Ramos of Tanjay City in Negros Oriental.

During a recent program at Camp Sergio Osmeña in Cebu City, Sinas told his male-dominated police force that whatever they could do, their female counterparts could replicate and “even [do] better.”

“They have this image that they are incorruptible. Unlike men, you don’t see them in drinking sessions,” he had said of the policewomen.

He also noted that police stations led by women were “very clean,” serving as good examples in communities.

On Wednesday, Sinas said there would be no revamp in the NCRPO and the five Metro police districts for now as he must first “talk to them [officials] and observe.”

He succeeded Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, who was named the chief directorial staff, the fourth highest post in the Philippine National Police.