Bartolome to impose one-strike policy

MANILA, Philippines - National Police (PNP) chief Deputy Director General Nicanor Bartolome will impose a one-strike policy against police chiefs who would fail to act against all forms of criminal activities, including illegal gambling, illegal drugs and street crimes, in their areas of responsibilities. Bartolome placed emphasis in the effort to address street crimes perpetrated by criminals riding in tandem on motorcycles mostly in Metro Manila. 

“There will be one-strike policy on illegal gambling, illegal drugs, and anti-crime. The territorial police unit must initiate programs to prevent street crimes. Kung wala ginawa anomang hakbang yung hepe ng pulis, sigurado patalsikin natin sila (If the police chief does not undertake steps to stop the occurrence of crimes, we will dismiss them from their jobs),” said Bartolome in a radio interview.        

He said that when he was the chief of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) two years ago, he relieved a number of police chiefs and police precincts commanders who fail to curb the occurrence of street crimes and to take actions after the crimes were committed.

Two days after his assumption of office as the head of the 140,000-strong police force, Bartolome vowed to regain the trust and confidence of the public.

The police force suffers from public distrust because of the perceived link of some officers to illegal activities, human rights abuses and alleged anomalous procurement of equipment. 

Bartolome said he has also directed all police field units to intensify the campaign against jueteng. Some members of the police force are also perceived as recipients of protection money from jueteng operators.

 Bartolome said he has never been accused of receiving jueteng money because he has spent his first 12 years in police service fighting insurgency in Central Mindanao.

“When I was in Central Luzon, Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog, I instructed my men not to get involved in gambling. 

President Aquino ordered us to follow the tuwid na daan (straight path),” he said.

Bartolome also ordered a thorough analysis of the reports of anti gambling programs to allow the administration to improve efforts against jueteng.

He also warned that unscrupulous individuals using his name to collect jueteng money may be arrested and prosecuted. 

The Kaya Natin Movement, a group of local government officials said jueteng operations continue in Isabela and Pampanga.

“If he (Bartolome) is serious to stop jueteng, he can do it,” said Harvey Keh, lead convenor of the group. “Jueteng can be stopped, then PNP chief, now Sen. Panfilo Lacson was able to do it before.”

Keh said that if Bartolome is committed to stopping jueteng operations in the country, he should coordinate with Sen. Teofisto Guingona, who led a Senate investigation on jueteng.

‘Vatican of jueteng’

Keh said that aggressive efforts against jueteng should start in the province of Pampanga, which he calls the ‘Vatican’ of jueteng.

 He said former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca and former Pampangga governor Among Ed Panlilio lost in the 2010 elections because gambling lords used their money to influence the outcome of the elections.

He said Padaca and Panlilio did not allow jueteng operations during their terms.

Bartolome sits as PNP chief until 2012, a year before the 2013 midterm elections, during which gambling lords will raise funds to support their political bets.  

“Twist here, he is the PNP chief until 2012, and 2012 mag-ipon na sila (politicians running in the elections) for the elections. If we stop jueteng, the corrupt (politicians) will not win (in the elections),” Keh said. 

He said the billions of pesos collected from jueteng annually are “more than enough money to elect even a president.”

He noted that officials elected with the help of jueteng lords will only advance the interest of their financiers.

Minor reshuffle

Bartolome has implemented a minor reshuffle in the police force to fill up the positions vacated by his appointment.

He appointed Director Arturo Cacdac Jr. as the chief of directorial staff (TCDS), the position Bartolome held before assuming leadership of the PNP.

Prior to his designation as TCDS, Cacdac was the chief of the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), the unit that conducted trainings to police officers. Bartolome said Cacdac is one of the most senior police officials in the PNP as is qualified to be next in rank to Deputy Director General Benjamin Belarmino and Deputy Director General Raul Castaneda.

The DIDM will then be headed by Chief Superintendent Alex Paul Monteagudo as officer-in charge.

Bartolome belonged to the Philippine Military Academy Class ’80 while Cacdac was a member of PMA Class 78, a classmate of Director Roberto Rosales, who was affiliated with former president, now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Observers said Bartolome’s move to tap Cacdac to head the fourth highest position in the PNP is an effort to reach out to senior police officials, who were virtually bypassed by his appointment at the helm.

 Sources said Bartolome was initially pushing his mistah (classmate in the PMA), Chief Superintendent Emil Sarmiento to be the chief of the directorial staff, considered to be the general manager of the PNP.

“There were two generals, who were recommended to be the chief directorial staff but Bartolome added the name of Sarmiento. He apparently changed his mind to reach out to his upper classes,” a source said.

Aside from the PMA Class 78, Bartolome’s appointment also bypassed another senior class-PMA Class 79, which has over a dozen of members competent to head the PNP, including Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr.

Pagdilao and Bartolome were both members of the PMA Class ’80 but the latter was “turned back” along with 53 other cadets in the PMA for opposing an apparent unfair promotion and merit system.

 Bartolome rejoined the PMA the following year.

“We are professional. I call them (members of upper classes) Sirs, but they also call me Sir since I hold a higher rank. There’s mutual respect among us,” he said. - with Jaime Laude