Subordinates want Parañaque's top cop axed

MANILA, Philippines - Demoralized police officers from Parañaque City are seeking the removal of Senior Superintendent Nestor Pastoral as the city’s police chief.

In an open letter to Mayor Florencio Bernabe, the police officers said Pastoral allegedly does not have leadership skills and has not allocated material resources properly, resulting in the lack of finances to support their daily operation.

“What we have now is grumbling obedience simply because it is our sworn duty,” the one-page letter stated. “Missing, however, is the dedication, zeal, enthusiasm that prevailed before during the past leadership.”

The letter has reached the personnel division of the National Capital Region Police Office.

Pastoral said “rogue” policemen want him out because he is “strict and a disciplinarian.” He said he offended some rank-and-file lawmen when he sanctioned them for reportedly being involved in extortion and other illegal money-making activities.

“They don’t like me because I’m strict with policemen who only want to make money, those who want to live like rich men,” he said.

The police officers told Bernabe that unless he acts on the problem immediately, “the quality of police service will deteriorate.”

Under Philippine National Police policy, the mayor has the sole right to appoint his chief of police from the list of five candidates forwarded by the PNP.

Pastoral admitted he does not have a copy of the open letter yet, but said Bernabe has told him about it.

According to Pastoral, he already sought the replacement of Superintendent Benjardi Capili – his deputy chief for operations who penned the letter – before the Southern Police District last week. He cited loss of trust and confidence as grounds for Capili’s removal. 

Pastoral, however, withdrew his request after Capili allegedly “apologized to me.”  – Non Alquitran, Aie Balagtas-See