Mar Roxas on PNP-NCR revamp: ‘People expect big changes’

DIRECTOR’S DEEPEST CUT Bidding farewell to the QCPD, Chief Supt. Richard Albano tears up while surrounded by family members after his speech at Camp Karingal on Friday. RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines—Nothing personal.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Friday stressed that his decision to replace four of the five police district directors in Metro Manila was part of government efforts to infuse a “new perspective [and] new leadership” in the fight against criminality.

Saying the top-level revamp should not be given “any (political) color,” Roxas pointed out that all field commanders of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) had been regularly reminded about their performance.

“We have given them enough time. We gave them warnings. We gave them guidance,” Roxas said in a statement. “While the crime situation in Metro Manila has stabilized, in the eyes of our countrymen it is still not enough. They are expecting big changes which the ordinary citizens can feel.”

He said he approved the shakeup after the directors failed to meet the requirements set by the Philippine National Police (PNP) during the first four months of its “Oplan Lambat” campaign in the capital.

During that period, the NCRPO held weekly meetings on the crime incidents reported in the five districts. “In short, we monitored them. Since there were no significant changes after 16 weeks, [we felt that] we needed new energy. New perspective, new leadership is what we need,” Roxas said.

The Cabinet official earlier stressed the need for the PNP to employ statisticians for a more accurate measure of its performance.

Roxas said nobody would be spared in the reorganization of the 150,000-strong PNP, which is still reeling from the allegations of corruption hurled against its chief, Director General Alan Purisima.

Since the PNP was reorganized in 1991, it was the first time that four of the five district directors in NCR were sacked in one stroke.

One of the directors given the boot, Chief Supt. Richard Albano of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), gave a tearful farewell speech on Friday before an audience that included his family members.

Speaking to reporters later, Albano acknowledged that “[Roxas] sets the standard. Even if you feel that you have done good but he thinks you are still wanting, it means you just have to do better.”

“In a way this is also good,” he said. “I can perhaps get a shot at being regional director… I think being relieved may mean that I would get a better post. I know he [Roxas] also considers all that I’ve done.”

Still, Albano stressed that under his watch, the QCPD had solved several high-profile cases, including the killing of the mother of actress Cherry Pie Picache and that of car racer Enzo Pastor. He also cited the arrest of the Mac Lester and Salvaterria car theft gang members.

Albano’s tenure, however, hit a low recently when the suspects in the Sept. 1 Edsa “hulidap” incident turned out to be members of the QCPD’s La Loma station.