Duterte to HPG chief: Solve Metro traffic, get MMDA chairmanship

PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa addressing newly-promoted police officials and their families during the oath-taking and donning of ranks ceremony at Camp Crame. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net

Solve the traffic problem and get the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairmanship when you retire. 

This was what President Rodrigo Duterte had promised to newly-promoted chief of the Highway Patrol Group Chief Supt. Antonio Gardiola Jr., Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said on Friday. 

“Bok, sabi ni Presidente (the President said), if you will succeed sa pag-control mo sa traffic sa Edsa at buong Metro Manila, pag retire mo gagawin ka niyang MMDA chairman (in contolling the Edsa and entire Metro Manila traffic, you will be appointed MMDA chairman when you retire),” Dela Rosa said in his message during the oath-taking and donning of ranks ceremony of newly-promoted officials at Camp Crame. 

Gardiola was among the six police officials who donned the new star ranks of Chief Superintendent in a ceremony at Camp Crame. Other five officials were: Chief Superintendents Ma. O Ranada Aplasca of the PNP Aviation Security Group, Ramon Purugganan from the Directorate for Comptrollership, Amador Corpus from Office of the Chief Directorial Staff, William Macavinta from the Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development and Peter Donato from the Directorate for Police Operations-Northern Luzon.

Two police generals were also promoted to the two-star rank of Police Director. They were Police Directors Federico Dulay Jr. from the PNP Civil Security Group and Archie Francisco Feranil Gamboa from the Directorate for Comptrollership. 

Dela Rosa reminded Gardiola, his “mistah” from the Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” Class of 1986, that he has the biggest responsibility when it comes to the country’s transportation problems, even calling him “Pinakasiga sa (toughie of) Metro Manila.” 

“Ikaw ang may pinakamabigat na trabaho. Make or break mo ito (You have the biggest responsibility. This is make or break for you),” he said. 

Dela Rosa recalled in jest how Transportation Secretary Arturo Tugade would say, “Wala akong pakialam dyan. Ibigay kay Gardiola ‘yang trabaho na ‘yan.” “Kaya napakabigat ng trabaho mo kapag naging successful ka. Sigurado ‘yan MMDA chairman ka pag retire mo (I have nothing to do with it. That is part of Gardiola’s work. You have a big responsiblity when you succeed. For sure, you will be appointed MMDA chairman when you retire),” the PNP chief added./rga

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