4 PNP chiefs relieved from duty

Philippine National Police Headquarters / Wikipedia Photo

MANILA – Four out of the five police district directors in Metro Manila were sacked yesterday following the rising number of crimes and controversies surrounding the Philippine National Police (PNP).

They were Richard Albano of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), Rolando Asuncion of the Manila Police District (MPD), Erwin Villacorte of the Southern Police District (SPD), and Edgardo Layug of the Northern Police District (NPD). All are ranked chief superintendent, or one-star general in the military.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Manuel Roxas II already confirmed the recommendations for replacement from National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Carmelo Valmoria.

Likewise, PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima seconded the relief and recommended the officials’ replacement.

Albano will be replaced by Senior Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, Asuncion by Senior Superintendent Rolando Nana, Villacorte by Chief Superintendent Henry Ranola and Layug by Chief Superintendent Jonathan Ferdinand Miano.

Only Eastern Police District director Chief Superintendent Abelardo Villacorta was not replaced among the district directors in Metro Manila.

Roxas said that the relief was part of their campaign on anti-criminality in NCR.

On the other hand, Malacañang said that the “new assignments are part of the intensified anti-criminality efforts” being instituted by Roxas in the NCR.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said that the Interior Secretary “has instituted data- and statistics-based anti-criminality moves patterned after the very succcessful ‘Comstat’ approach during Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s time in New York.”

Lacierda added that Roxas is “installing a deliberate, pragmatic and focused approach to preventing crimes and/or arresting criminals that is not dependent on patsamba (chance).”

For the past three months, about 14 station commanders from 38 police stations in Metro Manila have been sacked and replaced.

Some sources mentioned that the dismissal of four police officials was because they were not able to do something about the rising cases in robbery and theft.

Roxas gave a mandate to PNP to be more vigilant in reaching out to the community and civic organizations to help them fight crime.

“Deployment of police trainees in blue shirts is a big boost in the anti crime measures, it helps deter crimes,” Roxas said.