3 mayors back anti-crime drive

Three city mayors of Metro Manila have thrown their full support behind the police anti-criminality campaign.

In a dialogue, the three mayors warned their policemen they have no place in their local police force if they refuse to report to the early morning roll call and formation program initiated by Director Edgar Aglipay, head of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO).

Since Aglipay’s roll call and formation program was launched Nov. 14, the number of high-profile and petty crimes have dramatically been reduced, police records showed.

Mayors Lito Atienza, Wenceslao Trinidad and Ma. Lourdes Fernando, of the cities of Manila, Pasay and Marikina, respectively, were the first local officials of Metro Manila to express support for Aglipay’s campaign to rid the metropolis of kidnap-for-ransom activities, bank and payroll robberies and cellphone snatching.

Earlier, the Metro Manila mayors, who refuse to part ways with their station commanders were accused of derailing Aglipay’s campaign against criminality.

A ranking police official claimed that Aglipay wanted station commanders, who are either retiring, overstaying, unqualified or who have been remiss in their duties replaced, but the Metro Manila mayors oppose the plan.

With Atienza, Trinidad and Fernando behind him, Aglipay is presently talking with other Metro Manila mayors to convince them that what he wanted was to install police officials who are qualified and with outstanding service records to bolster his anti-crime drive.

The chief of police of Manila, Chief Superintendent Nick Pasinos is slated to be promoted next year, Superintendent Eddie de la Cerna of Pasay City is retiring by July while Superintendent Leo Kison of Marikina City has spent more than two years in his post.

Superintendents Ernesto Fojas of Malabon and Pete Sanson of Las Piñas City are overstaying, Ruben Catabona of Paranaque City is not a holder of the Officer’s Secondary Executive Course, Rolando Navarro of Muntinlupa City is retiring Dec. 19, while Jovy Gutierrez is presently taking his OSEC course.

Aglipay said Navarro will be replaced by a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA). He did not name Navarro’s replacement though.

Aglipay admitted that the cooperation extended by Mayors Atienza, Trinidad and Fernando will greatly boost the police anti-criminality drive in their areas.

Despite its initial success, the NCRPO chief admitted that the roll call and formation activities need some fine-tuning to make it more effective in going after criminals. On the first three days of the campaign, Aglipay noted that more than 100 policemen failed to report for duty.

"In the past several days, only less than 10 policemen were absent in the roll call and formation program and this already is a good sign," said Aglipay in an interview. "We are hoping to gain a 100 percent attendance by next year."

More than 400 policemen who failed to report for duty on the roll call and formation program for three successive days were transferred to far-flung areas of the country.

Aglipay did not name the station commanders who were remiss in their duties during his first month in office. But he emphasized that he will exercise his authority next year to replace station commanders who are retiring, overstaying, unqualified or remiss in the performance of their duties and responsibilities. He said he would consult the mayors concerned regarding their possible replacements.