Let’s move forward, Espina tells cops

MANILA, Philippines - Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina has compared the men and women of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to a cell phone whose battery can be removed, rebooted and refreshed as he asked them to move forward and leave behind the sad memories of the killing of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in Maguindanao.

Speaking to police regional directors and police unit commanders in a command conference yesterday, Espina said they owe it to the Filipino people to do their jobs as that is their mandate.

“It’s so hard to move forward by dragging along a very sad experience,” he said.

Espina said the command conference in Camp Crame was not a loyalty check.

“We don’t need to conduct loyalty check because we are all loyal,” he said. “We can’t hide that we are really affected by the loss but we have to move forward, we have to move on for the sake of the people.”

Espina presided over the almost two-hour command conference with Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., directorial staff chief, and ranking police officials.

Espina and Garbo occupy the top positions in the PNP.

A reliable source said the name of suspended and now resigned PNP chief Alan Purisima was not mentioned even once during the command conference.

“I do believe that in a few weeks this will be very stormy,” a source told The STAR, quoting Espina. “We will all rise above the challenge even stronger.”

Espina made it clear to police officials that all operations should be reported to him.

The source said Espina had implied that some police officials are confused and playing safe so as not to earn the ire of Purisima.

“I do understand what happened (during the planning of the SAF mission),” Espina was quoted as telling the police officials.

“But from here on, let us all be professional, let’s follow the line and let us function as if everything is normal.”

Speaking to reporters after the conference, Espina said all police officers are professionals who are paying respect to the fallen SAF commandos.

“We will not be perturbed or disturbed by the recent events,” he said.  – With Marvin Sy