6-month deadline for new police chiefs

The newly designated directors of the Northern Police and Central Police Districts were given six months yesterday to clear their areas of illegal gambling activities and illegal drugs.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., named Wednesday Senior Superintendents Marcelino Franco Jr., and Napoleon Castro as new heads of the NPD and CPD, respectively.

Franco and Castro assume their posts during simple turnover ceremonies today. The turnover will be presided over by Metro Manila police chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco.

Even before they are formally recognized as new district heads, Velasco has already issued marching orders to make their areas jueteng-free and go after illegal drug syndicates.

"They have to rid their areas of illegal gambling and illegal drugs in six months," said Superintendent Julius Abanes, spokesman of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO).

Franco will replace Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol who was promoted as chief of the PNP Directorate for Operations while Castro takes over the post vacated by Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Tor, the new head of the Police Regional Office 5 in Bicol.

Meanwhile, Velasco will also open today the Police Express, a one-stop station in Monumento, Caloocan City and Tutuban in Divisoria, Manila that will cater to victims of petty crimes.

According to Abanes, the PNP chief has envisioned Police Express as a program to bring the police closer to the public.

"Victims of petty crimes will not experience the hassle of having to go to a police station to lodge a complaint since they can do so at Police Express stations to be set up in commercial centers," Abanes said. A police investigator will be manning the station, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.