Mendoza defends promotions

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Leandro Mendoza defended yesterday the promotions of his close aides, saying they were with him when they defended Malacañang from pro-Estrada loyalists during May 1 siege last year.

In another development, six top PNP officials were promoted yesterday. They were Deputy Director Generals (equivalent to three-star rank) Reynaldo Velasco, Clyde Fernandez and Metro Manila police director Edgar Aglipay, Director (Major General) Jose Poblete, Domingo Reyes Jr., Avelino Razon Jr. and Chief Superintendent (Brig. General) Leoncio Laygo.

Deputy Director General Rex Piad, the chief of the PNP Directorial Staff, also defended the promotions. "Promotions is open for everybody. If you feel you deserved then you should come out. It is not an issue. It is a matter of fact ... I have personal knowledge of their heroic acts," he said.

Piad said he does not foresee any problem to the promotions to three-star ranks of Velasco, Fernandez and Aglipay despite a provision in the PNP law mandating that only three police officials should hold the rank of Deputy Director General.

The promotions of Velasco, Fernandez and Aglipay brings to six the numbers of three-star rank holders at the PNP, which include Piad, Edgar Galvante, and Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.

"These additional three promotions were favorably endorsed by the Civil Service Commission and carefully studied by the National Police Commission," he said.

However, Piad openly opposed Fernandez’s promotion because he was promoted to Director (two-star rank) less than six months ago.

An irked Mendoza told reporters that his close aides deserved to be promoted and challenged his detractors to come out in the open and bring their grievances to the proper forum.

"These were the people who protected the seat of government with me in Malacañang. They are with me," he said.

Mendoza’s aides who were promoted recently included Chief Inspectors Camilo Cascolan and Mario Ramos; Senior Inspector John Aleta and Eudardo Chico Jr., and SPO4s Benjamin Hggayu and Alejandro Andrade.

The PNP chief appealed to the critics to bring their grievances directly to his office, not to the media, so that these matters will be given proper attention.

"Pwedeng magkaliwanagan dito. President Arroyo and the present police administration have not neglected (its duties to look into) the welfare of the police," he said. "I am the father of everybody (at the PNP), if they are deserving, they should come out."

Mendoza lamented that certain groups with personal interests may be using the shadowy group called "Aggrieved Policemen who are Always Willing to Defend the Constitution" to pursue their selfish political agenda.

"We know very well that this so-called group is not representing the low-ranking police officers, they belong to a certain class. We know because the wordings (they used) show that," said the PNP chief.

Mendoza added that all the promotions were reviewed by the Senior Officers Placement and Promotions Board (SOPPB) and approved by the Civil Service Commission after intensive deliberation.