PNP chief bets court Rody nod in Moscow

MOSCOW – At least three aspiring successors of retiring Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde were with President Duterte’s entourage in his five-day Russia visit.

Police Security and Protection Group director Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, Police Community Affairs Development Group chief Brig. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia and PNP Regional Police Director XIII Brig. Gen. Gilbert Cruz were among the 15 police and military officials in the President’s retinue, sources told The STAR.

The three PNP generals also attended the Philippine cultural gala performance at the Four Seasons Hotel here last Friday evening, top officials said.

Sources said the three were on the chartered Philippine Airlines flight that left the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City last Tuesday. They were set to fly back to Davao last night.          

Cruz is reportedly banking on the support of Agusan del Norte Gov. Maria Angelica Amante-Matba, publicly
 acknowledged by the President as one of his ardent supporters.

Sermonia is actively involved in the Global Police Community Relations (Global PCR), a PNP group supported by the Diehard Duterte Supporters (DDS) led by its president Gemma Sotto.

The group reportedly helped boost the successful senatorial bid of former police chief Ronald dela Rosa.

Apart from police and military officials, a handful of Medal of Valor awardees as well as “barons” of their classes at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) joined the President in Moscow.

The uniformed officials were Lt. Gen. Rozzano Bringuez, commanding general of the Philippine Air Force; Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command; Major Gen. Ruben Basiao, deputy chief of staff for intelligence of the AFP; Army Col. Rey Alemania, assistant chief of staff for logistics of the Philippine Army; Col. Serme Ayuyao, said to be assigned at the Judge Advocate General’s Office; Col. Ronald Alcudia, also of the Philippine Army; Col. Eldilberto Leonardo, regional chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region IX; Col. Ranie Cachola, officer-in-charge of Davao del Norte Provincial Police Office; Col. Arthur Bisnar, president of the PMA; and Lt. Herbert Dilag, also of the Philippine Army.

It was not the first time that Duterte had brought along a large number of police and military officials as well as soldiers, supporters and even showbiz personalities in his official trips abroad.  

“If the President chooses the next chief of the PNP, we are hoping he would make the right choice and conduct a review of the background of all the PNP chief wannabes,” a top official told The STAR.

Although busy in his Russia trip, the President was monitoring developments in the Philippines, especially the ninja cops issue, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

On the search for the next PNP chief, Panelo said the President is still reviewing the background and credentials of each candidate.

“That’s how it is. Right now, we don’t know yet,” Panelo said in Filipino.

Apart from Escobal, Sermonia and Cruz, the other contenders for the top PNP post are two members of PMA Sinagtala Class of 1986.

They are PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa and directorial staff chief Lt. Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan, currently the third and fourth highest officials in the PNP.

Cascolan and Gamboa are “mistahs” of Dela Rosa and Albayalde. National Capital Region Police Office director Gen. Guillermo Eleazar is also gunning for the top post. He is a member of the PMA Hinirang Class of 1987. 

PNP Firearms and Explosives Office chief Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, of PMA Makatao Class of 1989, and Manila Police District Brig. Gen Vicente Danao Jr. of PMA Sambisig Class of 1991 are also candidates to the highest PNP post.

Still trusted

Panelo, meanwhile, said Albayalde still enjoys the trust and confidence of the President despite the controversy hounding the outgoing PNP chief.

“Until such time that he says that he doesn’t have, the presumption is the general has his trust and confidence,” Panelo said in an interview on the sidelines of the Philippine-Russia business forum at the House of Unions here.

He said the President could have simply fired Albayalde if he was sure of the official’s involvement in the activities of the ninja cops.

“That’s why he wants to have him investigated first,” Panelo said. He emphasized the President remains focused on the war on drugs.

“The President’s unyielding posture against illegal drugs and those who destroy the country, regardless of whether they belong to the government, by spreading these substances in our communities, will not waver,” the presidential spokesman said.

“As our Chief Executive has mentioned in many occasions, there will be hell to pay for those who become worse than criminals,” he pointed out.

“The President, however, will let Congress do and finish its investigation in aid of legislation before taking any formal action on the issue of these ninja cops,” he said.

Duterte earlier raised at the plenary session of the Valdai Business Club in the Sochi City his vigorous campaign against criminality.  

It was at the same forum that the President mentioned the supposed involvement of two generals in illegal drugs.

“With regard to PRRD’s remarks during the Valdai Forum where he disclosed that there are two generals who are still involved in the illegal drug industry, he refers to the PNP generals who have been accused to have protected the ninja cops. He will wait for the recommendation of the DILG secretary when he is finished with his internal investigation,” Panelo said.

In an interview over dzMM, Albayalde said he believes the President was not alluding to him when the latter revealed the involvement of two generals in illegal drugs.  He cited Panelo’s statement that he still enjoys the trust of the President. 

The embattled PNP chief said he believes the two generals are on the President’s previous list of “narco generals” released during the time of his predecessor, now Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa.

He said the recent surfacing of allegations against him was part of a power play within the 190,000-strong police force, particularly among those wishing to be the next PNP chief.

If he gets discredited, Albayalde said his endorsement of a successor would be a kiss of death.

On calls that he take a leave of absence even if he is nearing retirement, Albayalde said he would rather wait for any directive from the President and accept it “whole-heartedly.”

He said he has not endorsed any candidate yet to the President, even as several names have come out as his possible successor. Romina Cabrera