No Mar clone

First impression lasts, as one popular saying goes. If that would be my gauge, newly installed Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento impressed us a lot with the presentation of his well-thought-out plans and programs he vowed to implement in less than a year of his term in office.

Like the rest of Cabinet officials and other presidential appointees, Sarmiento will stay in office until otherwise re-appointed or their respective replacements are named by the next administration that will take over on June 30, 2016.

President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III appointed Sarmiento as DILG Secretary only last Sept. 8. Sarmiento cut short his second term as congressman to join the Aquino Cabinet. Sarmiento took over from erstwhile DILG Secretary Mar Roxas II whom President Aquino anointed as the administration-backed presidential candidate in the coming May 2016 elections.

Being the Liberal Party (LP) secretary-general prior to his appointment to the Cabinet, Sarmiento’s heading the DILG raised concerns and questions over his cold neutrality and non-partisanship in the coming national and local elections.

When P-Noy appointed Roxas in Aug. 2012 as DILG Secretary, he went on leave as LP president. Roxas took over the DILG post following the plane crash that killed Secretary Jesse Robredo and the pilot. Roxas though remains “LP president-on-leave” up to now even if he is presidential standard-bearer of the LP.

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya continues to be acting president of LP. Abaya, then Cavite congressman, was the LP secretary-general at the same time in Aug. 2012 when he took over from Roxas as DOTC Secretary. It was then that Sarmiento was elected LP secretary-general.

Several weeks after President Aquino offered to him to replace Roxas as DILG Secretary, Sarmiento disclosed he decided to resign as LP secretary-general.

But that does not, of course, completely cut off his ties from the ruling party. Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Sato replaced Sarmiento as LP secretary-general.

Other Aquino Cabinet officials like Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Sec. Florencio “Butch’ Abad, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Abaya and others continue to be not only card-bearing members but also active party officials of LP.

Sarmiento though cited his resignation as LP secretary-general when asked if he would remain neutral and non-partisan should LP politicians get involve in any shenanigans in next year’s national and local elections.

This was how Sarmiento addressed these questions during our weekly breakfast forum at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Luneta Hotel last Wednesday.

He joined us after presiding his own weekly meeting at the DILG office with top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) every Wednesday morning. According to him, he is continuing with his immediate predecessor’s “Lambat-Sibat” weekly briefing to keep him posted on regular basis on the anti-crime drive, especially in the light of security and peace and order challenges ahead of him as DILG Secretary.

Sarmiento explained the “Lambat-Sibat” will not just be crime statistics gathering for him but it would best guide them where to put the PNP forces and resources where they are most needed to address crime-prone areas in any part of the country. For example, he cited, the PNP National Capital Region Office conducted “one-time, big time” anti-illegal drugs operation last week in Malabon City where they arrested more than 400 suspects in separate raids.

While doing this, he said, they are also continually adjusting and fine-tuning security preparations for the Philippine hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ summit next month. After this biggest event to be held under his watch, Sarmiento looks forward to ensuring the momentum of keeping peace and order and security in check with the advent of the Christmas season.

He echoed the concern that this is the period when nefarious elements take advantage of the season to ply their crimes and other illegal trades. Then, the political campaign season surely will start early before next year’s election.

This is why, he said, the DILG – with the help of the Local Government Academy – has started preparing modules and training kits for governors and mayors, especially for the new ones or neophytes who would be greatly assisted after elected in office.

Citing his own experience as a first-time mayor of Calbayog City, Sarmiento recalled his difficulties and lack of knowledge of how local government units operate and coordinate with the national government. Sarmiento believes these modules and training kits of the DILG would give neophyte LGU executives a good guide on governance while second and third-termer mayors would be given refresher and wider perspective to better serve their constituents.

Included in the module, Sarmiento added, are guides on how LGU executives chair the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) where their constituents could run to complain against erring policemen in their respective areas. The PLEB would handle the cases at their level and could elevate the much serious offenses of policemen at the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

As the DILG Secretary, Sarmiento also heads concurrently the Napolcom Board as the disciplinary body of the PNP. The Local Government Academy and the Napolcom are attached agencies of the DILG.

It was during his stint as mayor for nine years when he and Robredo who was then Naga City mayor competed against each other as model local government units in terms of best practices in governance. Being former LGU executive like Robredo, Sarmiento could still do a lot of improvements at the DILG even as he has very short term to serve.

It was our first time to meet each other but Sarmiento strikes me as a combination of a technocrat leader – like Mar – but a capable politician as well. Sarmiento is no clone of Mar but his experience as LGU executive and congressman should give the DILG a balanced mix of data-based leadership and decision-making before taking any action.