MANILA, Philippines — Incoming Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director Oscar Albayalde has been tasked to implement the internal cleansing of police ranks nationwide.
Interior and Local Government officer-in-charge Eduardo Año said this was his first directive to Albayalde. He said the outgoing Metro Manila police chief should continue with vigor the reforms and internal cleansing of the PNP.
“My first instruction to incoming PNP chief Albayalde is to go after PNP personnel who are a disgrace to their uniform, especially those who are AWOL, sleeping, non-performing, and drinking on the job. All of them should be dismissed from the service,” Año said over the weekend.
Año said he is supporting Albayalde in his surprise inspection of police stations in Metro Manila. Albayalde gained popular support in riding a motorcycle and surprising a number of police officers sleeping on the job.
“I told General Albayalde to cleanse the police ranks of bad eggs in order to make the DILG the best department in government. The PNP leadership should conduct more of the surprise inspections so that we can weed out the non-performing police officer,”Año said.
“As the next PNP chief, I expect General Albayalde to double his efforts to cleanse the ranks of police scalawags that tarnish the image of the entire police organization,” he said.
Año expressed confidence in Albayalde’s leadership.
“Under General Albayalde’s leadership, we are confident that the PNP can deliver President Duterte’s promise to eradicate illegal drugs, criminality and corruption,” Año said.
President Duterte named Albayalde as the successor of PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, who will retire on April 21 after completing his three-month term extension. Dela Rosa was supposed to retire on Jan. 21, but the President extended him for another three months to continue the war on illegal drugs.
Dela Rosa said he personally endorsed Albayalde to the President to replace him.
Dela Rosa and Albayalde were classmates at the Philippine Military Academy Class 1986.
Albayalde was named chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) upon Dela Rosa’s assumption as PNP chief in July 2016.
Albayalde was once relieved as Pampanga police director for command responsibility for an irregular anti-drug operation four years ago.
Albayalde was ordered relieved of his post by then Central Luzon Police director Chief Superintendent Raul Petrasanta following orders of then PNP chief Alan Purisima.
Albayalde’s relief stemmed from charges filed by the Central Luzon Police before the provincial prosecutor’s office against the chief of the Pampanga Intelligence Branch; the head of the Pampanga Anti-Illegal Drugs Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG), and 11 of their personnel.
The police officers were placed under preventive suspension to pave the way for summary dismissal proceedings in their administrative case.
Petrasanta had said Albayalde was relieved of his post under the doctrine of command responsibility for failing to take corrective action.