CHR hoping for ‘more transparent’ PNP with Gamboa at helm

Gen. Archie Gamboa. INQUIRER.net file photo / Consuelo Marquez

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has welcomed the appointment of Police Gen. Archie Gamboa as the new Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, hoping that it would translate to a more transparent police force.

CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said on Tuesday that they are looking forward to Gamboa’s promise of cleaning the police ranks.

“We trust that he will live by his statement of ensuring that all cops uphold due process, human rights, transparency, and public accountability — hopefully, not only under his leadership but as a legacy of reform among their ranks from hereon,” De Guia said in a statement.

“Under this new leadership, we hope that the PNP will rehabilitate its image by showing greater transparency in its operations and faithfully enforcing the law, especially for cases of alleged extrajudicial killings,” she added.

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed Gamboa to lead the 205,000-strong police force, barely two months after the top PNP post was vacated by former chief, retired Gen. Oscar Albayalde.

Albayalde stepped down from office after a Senate hearing tagged him and his subordinates of alleged involvement in drug-recycling scheme when he was still Pampanga police chief.

The President previously admitted that it was taking him some time to appoint Albayalde’s successor because he was keen on finding someone with a clean record.

With Gamboa now at the helm, he is set to face several challenges including the issue of brutal drug war — especially after a survey showed that 76 percent of Filipinos believe that there are human-rights abuses in the conduct of police operations.

Under the Duterte administration, over 5,500 drug suspects have died in legitimate police operations — although government critics claim that the number could be even higher.

CHR said that they are looking towards working with Gamboa to iron out issues surrounding human rights.

“To note, a recent Social Weather Stations poll shows that 76% of the Filipino people believe that human rights violations continue to confront the administration’s anti-drug campaign, while another 78% of the Philippine population believe in the existence of ‘ninja cops’ or those who sell drugs seized from police operations,” De Guia explained.

“At the same time, we look forward to greater cooperation from the PNP in investigating cases of human rights violations,” she noted.

Edited by JPV