Unfazed Bartolome keeps working

Director General Nicanor Bartolome: Pressured. Photo by Matikas Santos/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine National Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome remains unruffled by persistent reports President Aquino wants him to step down ahead of his mandatory retirement in March next year, the PNP spokesperson said Monday.

“There are no changes in (Bartolome’s) routine. He goes around conducting meetings and supervising police units,” Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said in a news briefing.

“The stand of the PNP chief is that he serves at the pleasure of the President. He will comply with what would serve the best interest of the country and the police organization,” Cerbo told reporters.

He added, however, that Bartolome was “ready to serve until he reaches the mandatory retirement age (of 56) on March 16, 2013.”

“Whatever stories are coming out in the media, he is not affected or bothered by those reports. He does not want to get distracted,” Cerbo said.

He also downplayed rumors that some police officials had warned that the President’s decision to have Bartolome retire early might result in “disenchantment” among senior police officers.

Last week, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas reiterated Mr. Aquino’s preference that Bartolome’s successor take the helm of the PNP at the soonest possible time to prepare for the May 2013 elections.

But Cerbo said, “I don’t think that will happen. We are not bothered. We have a very strong organization.”

As an institution, he said, the PNP “understands that such a transition was normal so it’s not really a big issue.”

“We all work as usual. We have well-defined roles for our personnel and our units. That’s why our quality of work is not affected,” he said.

Cerbo also defended the appointment of Deputy Director General Alan Purisima, touted as Bartolome’s successor, as head of Task Force Secure and Fair Elections.

Purisima’s designation broke the PNP tradition which normally assigns the PNP deputy chief for operations as head of the overall task force on election-related police operations.

“It’s the prerogative of our commanders and the PNP chief to appoint the commander of the police task force on the elections. There is nothing irregular or illegal (in Purisima’s designation),” he said.