Duterte’s ex-Davao police chief starts Calabarzon tour of duty, vows ‘purge’ of scalawags

SAN PEDRO CITY—The police officer who carried out the iron-fisted anti-crime policies of President Rodrigo Duterte in Davao City sought to start his stint as Calabarzon police chief with a stern warning to rogue members of the regional police force and a promise to “purge” rotten eggs.

“I will not have second thoughts, I will personally cut you to pieces,” said Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao, former Manila police chief promoted to become the highest police official in the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon region, a key assignment.

Danao, however, said the internal cleansing of the Philippine National Police (PNP) should start at “the bottom” or among lower-ranking policemen.

At a ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 23, marking turnover of command at the regional police force, Danao said his tough policy against erring officers applies to both officers or non-commissioned members of the police force.

Danao was sent to Calabarzon, a region that has a high urban development rate because of its nearness to Metro Manila, as a result of an Oct. 20 order by acting PNP Chief Archie Gamboa to reshuffle the entire PNP.

Gamboa’s order came in response to a scandal involving former PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde, who retired ahead of schedule after he was dragged into a case of drug recycling involving 13 so-called “ninja cops” during Albayalde’s tenure as Pampanga police chief.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1991, Danao served as police chief of Davao City until 2016 alongside then mayor Duterte.

In a statement, Danao said he would implement a cleansing program called “Oplan LITIS” or “Linisin Tiwalag at Scalawag” in the regional police force.

“Our task is not only to cleanse the streets of criminals, but also to rid our backyard of garbage” he said in Filipino.

Danao replaced Brig. Gen. Edward Carranza, who was appointed as head of the PNP Logistics Support Service. Maricar Cinco/TSB