Rosales becomes Metro Manila's top cop

MANILA, Philippines - Newly installed Metro police director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales urged yesterday the 15,000-strong Metro Manila police force to rally behind him in the war against criminals and illegal drugs.

Rosales vowed to intensify the campaign of the National Capital Regional Police Office’s (NCRPO) against illegal drugs and there “would be no compromise in our bid to attain our objective.”

“We will be doing our utmost best in the war against illegal drugs and we would hit hard… no matter who gets hurt,” said Rosales as he cited his track record of arresting Mayor Ramon Mitra of Panulukan, Quezon province, who yielded at least 500 kilos of shabu several years ago.

Rosales replaced yesterday Director Leopoldo Bataoil, who was designated head of the newly created Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) in Northern Luzon.

He became the third NCRPO chief under the leadership of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Versoza.

Prior to his appointment to head the NCRPO, Rosales was the director of the Manila Police District (MPD).

Deputy Director General Jefferson Soriano, the PNP’s deputy for operations and concurrent head of the Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (AIDSOTF) directed Rosales to “raise to the higher level the war against illegal drugs.”

Soriano said that with the coordination of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) they are presently determining why drug cases filed in court were dismissed based on “technicalities.”

“We are coming up with a very good system (of monitoring) drug cases filed in court and prevent their dismissal,” Soriano said, noting that majority of the reasons cited were non-appearance of arresting police officers during court hearings.

Rosales said he would direct his men to coordinate their anti-illegal drugs operations with the Volunteers Against Crime Corruption (VACC), headed by Dante Jimenez, which is closely monitoring all drug cases in court.

Bataoil said he initiated the recent raids on five shabu laboratories in Metro Manila and Rizal province, which resulted in the arrest of seven Chinese suspects, including a chemist who is wanted in China.

Rosales also vowed to modernize the NCRPO by using new technology to complement the capabilities of the police officers.

He said with the help of like-minded individuals and organizations, Rosales said the MPD under his watch was able to purchase and use gadgets such as BlackBerry cell phones, handheld radios, desktop computers and surveillance cameras.

“With these equipment and aided by technologies such as global positioning system and electronic mapping, the PNP could monitor several locations and dispatch vehicles to respond to crimes,” Rosales said. “We did it for Manila and we can do it for Metro Manila.”

MPD may not yet get new chief

Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay is set to assume the post of MPD director today, replacing Rosales.

However, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim said in a statement that he wrote a letter to Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno yesterday, asking him to defer Magtibay’s assumption as MPD chief “until such time that Camp Crame submits the list of names of those from whom the city mayor will select his choice.”

Lim said Magtibay has only been appointed as officer-in-charge, not MPD chief.

Lim’s letter cited Republic Act 8551, the PNP reorganization law, which provides that “city and municipal mayors shall have the authority to choose the chief of police from a list of five eligibles recommended by the provincial director, preferably from the same province, city or municipality.”

Lim said he has yet to receive such a list from the PNP, and he was not consulted on Magtibay’s designation.

Vice Mayor Isko Moreno and city councilors have questioned why Lim was not consulted on the matter and will file a resolution calling for the PNP to follow the law.

Magtibay, like Rosales, is a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1978. He is the deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office 4-A and is the personal choice of President Arroyo to replace Rosales.

Senator questions Rosales appointment

Meanwhile, Senate Minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. yesterday slammed Mrs. Arroyo’s appointment of Rosales and other members of PMA Class of 1978 to sensitive posts in the military and police.

PMA Class of 1978 had adopted Mrs. Arroyo as an honorary member.

Pimentel said the appointment of members of PMA Class of 1978 to key and sensitive posts in the police and the military clearly shows that President Arroyo is indebted to the military, which helped perpetuate her in power in 2000.

Aside from Rosales and Magtibay, the other members of PMA Class of 1978 that have been appointed to sensitive posts, include Air Force chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, Southern Luzon Command chief Maj. Gen. Delfin Bangit, who was a former commander of the Presidential Security Group (PSG); and Armed Forces of the Philippines Intelligence Service chief Brig. Gen. Romeo Prestoza. – With Christina Mendez, Nestor Etolle, Sandy Araneta