New Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. told reporters yesterday the discipline of the policemen will be left to their commanders.
"It is my intent not to have unnecessary transfer of personnel, including police officers," he said. The commander should discipline (errant) policemen. (Action) should not be passed on to others. (Those in Luzon) should not be sent to Mindanao or those in Mindanao sent to Luzon."
Ebdane said his order will enable police officials to keep track of the whereabouts of policemen implicated in various crimes like kidnapping and drug trafficking.
Ebdane’s predecessors, now Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, have sent errant policemen to far-flung assignments, particularly Mindanao, as punishment.
Mendoza had ordered the transfer to Mindanao and the Visayas of Senior Superintendents Cesar Mancao, Michael Ray Aquino, Diosdado Valleroso, and Rafael Cardeño, who are believed to be supporters of Lacson.
However, Mancao, Aquino, and Cardeño, who have been implicated in various crimes, have gone on absence without leave, with Mancao and Aquino believed to have fled to Canada, and Cardeño said to have remained in the country.
Valleroso reports regularly to the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Earlier, Ebdane told reporters that he plans to organize a Council of Elders in the community to encourage the public to report crimes to the police.
"My intent to organize the Council of Community Elders, preferably non-politicians and those from the private sector..." he said. "This will actually provide guidance, assistance, coordination and they will be the focal point of communication in the ground with the community."
Ebdane said he is also batting for a higher conviction rate for criminals arrested and charged in court, especially those involved in kidnapping.
"We will have a better measure if we have a higher conviction rate," he said. "We will review all cases filed and find out how many cases were filed, how many cases dismissed for various reasons and how many resulted in conviction."