Don’t seek endorsements, PNP aspirants urged

Invoking his mandate as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. counseled aspirants to his post against seeking the endorsement of religious or political groups.

Ebdane described as a "taboo" within the PNP the reported moves of some officials to "solicit endorsements" from religious or political groups to boost their chances of getting appointed as his successor. "It is not good," he said. "They can be ostracized."

Ebdane, who himself is reportedly being eyed to succeed National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, made his views known yesterday to reporters attending the graduation of 155 police personnel who had finished the commando course of the PNP Special Action Force at Camp Crame.

On Tuesday, Director Jose Lalisan, chief of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Resource Management, issued a memorandum reminding police officers that seeking the support of political patrons is a violation of ethical standards punishable under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

While he agreed with Lalisan on the need to curb political patronage within the PNP, Ebdane said sanctions weren’t necessary. Ebdane was also against the possible "extension" of his successor’s term.

"It will be a bad precedent," he said. "Nobody should ask for extension." One candidate for Ebdane’s post who denied he had sought the benediction of any religious group was PNP Deputy Director for Administration Edgar Aglipay, who arrived from Zamboanga City yesterday.

Aglipay said he received the support of Zamboanga Archbishop Carmelo Morelos and city officials for his anti-drug campaign but said the support was "volunteered."

"I thanked them and informed them that they should support the organization as a whole and not the individual," he said.

Aglipay insisted that he was on speaking terms with Ebdane, who he described as "my mentor since my plebe days."