Ebdane finalizes list of PNP officers to be affected in revamp

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. is finalizing the list of police officers and positions to be affected by the upcoming revamp.

Ebdane said the first heads to roll in the revamp — believed to be the biggest since he assumed office in July last year — will be those belonging to rogue cops and non-performers. The mechanics of the reorganization are still being threshed out.

"We still have to work on that (revamp). We need to have parameters. Those who will be removed (from their present posts) are those who are involved in drug trafficking and those who seem to have neglected their commands," he said.

Director Jose Lalisan, head of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Resource Management, said top police officials are in the process of completing the lineup of officers who will be transferred to new posts.

The officials said some posts at the PNP Directorial Staff are likely to be affected by the first wave of the revamp, followed by heads of national support units and regional offices.

Lalisan told The STAR that the revamp may be implemented by the first week of November, "but there are no final decisions yet as of now."

Sources at the PNP said the revamp has long been overdue. Some ranking police officials have been monitored trying to block their transfers, while others have been using their political influence to seek out juicy positions.

Ebdane earlier said the revamp will be completed by middle of next month from the regional commands down to the smallest police station. Officers who have been at their posts for at least two years will be affected.

He noted that police officials who have relatives or close friends running for elective posts in their jurisdiction will also be included in the revamp.

The revamp will also affect police officials who have been the subject of complaints by the community, or his men whom he cannot discipline.

As part of the reorganization, Ebdane said the PNP will be getting inputs from various sectors to help them identify candidates for revamp and decide where to best transfer them.

Last Sunday, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said President Arroyo gave Ebdane a free hand to revamp the PNP.

Bunye said Mrs. Arroyo sees the PNP reorganization as an "operational matter" that can be decided by Ebdane without consulting her. He added that the revamp does not normally need a go-signal from Malacañang.