Arroyo sees ‘new’ PNP with Ebdane at helm

President Arroyo sees the advent of a "new organization" today when Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. assumes the helm of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Speaking at the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility at Hotel Nikko in Makati yesterday, Mrs. Arroyo said she is hopeful that Ebdane, as PNP chief , would strengthen her administration’s peace and order campaign.

"I have set for myself... (the tasks of) enforcing peace and order, getting rid of the kidnappers and drug pushers, especially with the new organization of the PNP that is supposed to come about," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo will be the guest of honor at the turnover ceremonies at Camp Crame in Quezon City where Ebdane will be formally installed as PNP chief.

A member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)’s Class 1970, Ebdane was said to have been "strongly endorsed" by former President Fidel Ramos for the post.

During the Marcos dictatorship, Ramos headed the PNP’s predecessor, the Phi-lippine Constabulary-Integrated National Police (PC-INP). Ebdane served as his administrative officer.

Following the people power revolt that ousted President Ferdinand Marcos in February 1986, Ebdane was named commander of the Presidential Guards under President Corazon Aquino.

In 1988, Ebdane was appointed commander of the PC Special Action Force to help the military fight the series of coups that rocked the Aquino administration, as well as communist rebels and secessionists in Mindanao.

Ebdane was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Star, the second highest military award, for his part in the government campaign against Mindanao secessionists and rightist and communist rebels.

In 1994, Ebdane was promoted to star rank while he was director of the Manila police and later earned his second star as police director as commander of the Metro Manila police.

Ebdane was promoted to deputy director general after the ouster of President Joseph Estrada on Jan. 20, 2001 and became the second highest official in the PNP.

Ebdane also served as Constabulary company commander in Pangasinan, Bataan, and Angeles City from 1972 to 1978, when he was named acting commander of the Angeles City Metropolitan District Command.

In 1979, he was Constabulary provincial commander of Pampanga and operations officer of Regional Command 3 from 1980 to 1982.

From 1982 to 1986, Ebdane was provincial commander of Nueva Ecija, and of Pangasinan from 1991 to 1992.

During the turnover-of-command ceremonies, Mrs. Arroyo will award Director General Leandro Mendoza, outgoing PNP chief and incoming transportation and communications secretary, the Philippine Legion of Honor, degree of commander.

Mendoza was cited for his exemplary leadership in the PNP after he initiated administrative reforms within the ranks and steered the police force to achieve major operational accomplishments against criminality.

Mendoza will troop the line for the last time in his 38 years of military and police service after he relinquishes the PNP command to Ebdane.

Mendoza takes over at DOTC

Also yesterday, Mendoza was briefed at the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) on the technology being used in that agency.

Mendoza said various government agencies like the DOTC, the Armed Forces and the PNP have their own communications system that can be linked to set up a common information highway.

"The efficiency of government offices and their responsiveness to public need will be greatly enhanced if they quickly adopt information technology in their operations," he said. "With an upgraded technology, the combined network of government can serve as an alternative system for government use."

Mendoza, who acquired information management systems for the PNP, said the problem of low revenue collection, red tape and tedious work, can be solved with the use of the right hardware and software.

"The PNP has joined the Internet with its website where people can have access to the latest developments on PNP activities and services," he said, "Surfers can download the list of names and photos of the most wanted persons in the country, get referrals, lodge complaints and access other valuable information they need from the police."

State-of-the-art information systems adopted by the PNP firearms and explosives division, traffic management group, and security agencies have resulted in phenomenal growth in their revenue collection while reducing processing time, Mendoza added. – Marichu Villanueva, Christina Mendez, Sheila Crisostomo