4 new police chiefs told: Stop crime or lose post

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria has given marching orders to his four new district directors: reduce crimes in their areas of jurisdiction or be removed from their post.

Valmoria did not state a deadline but said he wants to see results as soon as possible.

The NCRPO chief warned the four district directors yesterday that they would suffer the same fate as their predecessors should they fail in their new tasks.

Valmoria and his five district directors will meet next week, the 17th week since the NCRPO started grading its commanders’ performance.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, who approved the replacements,  expressed disappointment over the four district directors’ performance.

“There has been some improvement, although not fast enough and not substantive enough to my and our people’s satisfaction. So I think there is a need for new, fresh eyes and fresh energy,” Roxas said.

“I’m certainly not happy with the current situation and if I don’t make any changes, there’s no expectation that there’ll be any change... If somebody was going to show what they were capable of, certainly 16 weeks was enough time. Since there was not much, certain changes have to be made,” he added.

Malacañang has vowed to strictly monitor the performance of police officers to keep them on their toes.

Valmoria expects the four district directors to deliver on their assigned tasks, as the NCRPO faces the challenge of lowering crime rates in Metro Manila during the Christmas season.

Since June 15, the NCRPO has sacked four district directors and 14 station commanders.

On Thursday, Valmoria installed Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao as the new director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Senior Superintendent Rolando Nana for the Manila Police District, Chief Superintendent Jonathan Miano for the Northern Police District and Chief Superintendent Henry Rañola at the Southern Police District.

Eastern Police District director Chief Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta was retained for cracking the P2.1-million EDSA “hulidap” incident in Mandaluyong City, which resulted in charges against eight active policemen from the QCPD. – With Reinir Padua