Gamboa’s honesty earned him PNP top post: Palace

FILE: Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, says he agrees with the stand of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to reveal the intelligence reports on high-value targets (HVTs) to Vice President and anti-drug czar Leni Robredo, during an interview with reporters on Monday (Nov. 18, 2019). This came as PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said he will only give a copy of the list to Robredo in a closed-door meeting as this contains sensitive and classified information. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA — It was the honesty of incoming Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa that earned him PNP’s top post, Malacañang said on Sunday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark after President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday announced that he is going to appoint Gamboa as the next PNP chief three months after the post was vacated by Oscar Albayalde.

“Ayon sa kanya isa lang naman ang kanyang basis pag nag-appoint siya, honesty (According to him, the only one basis for his appointments, honesty),” Panelo said in an interview over dzIQ.

Panelo explained that although honesty and competence were the two qualities in the President’s criteria in the search for new PNP chief, honesty carried more weight because competence was already expected from his appointees.

“Yung competence kasi, he already assumes na competent ka. Trabaho mo ‘yan (As for competence, he already assumes you’re competent because that’s your job),” he added.

During the Thanksgiving Gathering of Fraternal Orders of Eagles in Davao City on Friday, Duterte bared that he is going to appoint Gamboa as PNP chief but only after having a long talk with Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

Duterte earlier gave Año blanket authority to supervise the PNP as well as procurement powers.

The President wanted Año to cleanse the PNP before he named the next PNP chief.

Asked if Año would still be in charge of the PNP’s procurement powers despite Gamboa’s appointment, Panelo said he would still have to ask the President.

Last year, Gamboa was appointed as PNP officer-in-charge while the President has yet to name the next PNP chief.

The President said he saw Gamboa’s sincerity in his stint as leader of the 160,000-strong police force.

“I want you to leave something that you will be remembered by the country,” Duterte said.

Gamboa is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Sinagtala Class of 1986. A native of Malaybalay, Bukidnon, he has been assigned in various capacities in the Davao Region.

Other contenders for PNP’s top post were Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, deputy chief for operations and Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, erstwhile Metro Manila police director and now head of the directorial staff among others.

In October 2019, Duterte said he would be more careful in selecting the next PNP to avoid “stumbling” again.

Panelo said he did not know if Duterte was referring to former PNP chief Albayalde, who is accused of being involved with “ninja cops” or policemen who recycle and sell illegal drugs confiscated during police anti-narcotics operations.

The President admitted that he found it difficult to name a new PNP chief, noting that honesty was a rare trait.