Retention of PNP ‘golden boys’ denounced

Police chiefs nationwide denounced yesterday the retention of 17 police officials in their posts after their names had been included among 32 others whose re-assignments were announced Monday.

News of the recall of the re-assignment of some police officials may "sow further dissension" within the Philippine National Police (PNP), said retired police Gen. Guillermo Domondon, chairman of the Association of Chiefs of Police.

Domondon described as "laban-bawi" the action to forego the re-assignment of 17 police officials, some of whom have reportedly refused to leave their posts.

"Laban-bawi may be good for entertainment, but it is very bad for the morale of the police officers," he said, referring to the popular television game show where contestants are allowed to shuffle boxes and win millions in cash if he or she gets the right box containing the prize money.

"And when officers rave and rant, specially in the corridors of power, the cause of professionalism is irretrievably lost," Domondon said.

He said once a reshuffle has been formally announced, the only duty of the top brass is to implement it.

"We see no reasonable argument to hear the reshuffle announcement only to be held in animated suspension, and finally selectively withdrawn," he said.

Domondon said the deferment of the appointments of the 17 police officials would set a "novel" precedent.

"It is simply not right, not even practically correct," he said. "We are worried."

On the other hand, Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco said the "dangerous politicking" within the PNP could sow the seeds of dissension, and that meritocracy and seniority would be set aside.

"It is a dangerous trend because when politics seeps into the armed services, it erodes professionalism in the ranks," he said during the turnover of command to Director Ricardo de Leon yesterday.

However, Senior Superintendent Joel Goltiao, PNP public information officer, said Velasco has to abide by the orders of the PNP leadership.

"It is his own opinion, and this is not a matter of policy," he said. "As members of the PNP, we should follow the chain of command, and these are legal orders."

The "delay" was caused by some "impatient" PNP officials who want to immediately transfer to their new assignments, he added.

Velasco, now re-assigned as commander of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, was not happy with the revamp which removed him as chief of the National Capital Region Police Office.

"I must admit that in this particular re-assignment, I leave with a heavy heart," he said. "It is a familiar feeling of a field commander who gets relieved of his command in the middle of a military campaign and the heat of battle."

It was learned that Velasco was relieved of his command at the height of his campaign against criminality in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, the controversial revamp has continued to get negative reactions from various groups.

Police sources earlier said former President Fidel Ramos, who was Philippine Constabulary chief during the Marcos era, may have had a hand in the reshuffle, which did not go through the scrutiny of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), the authority that oversees the police force.

Ramos was not immediately available for comment.

The Napolcom is scheduled to review the reassignments and submit its recommendation to President Arroyo for approval.

It may reject a police appointment unless the PNP can defend its decision.

"The new assignments have yet to be submitted to us for review and confirmation," Napolcom officer-in-charge Linda Malenab-Hornilla told The STAR in a telephone interview.

"There’s nothing illegal with the announcement but it would have been better if it were brought to us first," she said.