Duterte swears in Gamboa as new PNP chief

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte administers the oath to newly-appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lieutenant General Archie Gamboa during a ceremony at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Sto. Tomas Campus in Sto. Tomas City, Batangas on January 20, 2020. ACE MORANDANTE/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday administered the oath of office to new Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa.

Gamboa took his oath and received his four-star rank before Duterte led the distribution of calamity assistance to families affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano in Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

Dutere earlier announced that he will be appointing Gamboa as PNP chief but only after talking with Interior Secretary Eduardo Año.

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

During his first public appearance since Duterte announced his appointment, Gamboa said his style of leadership would be a “participative” PNP where everyone will be working together in harmony.

“I am just your leader but every single individual in the PNP counts that’s why I call it ‘Team PNP’ because this is a participative leadership. I cannot do this alone. We have to do this as an organization, as team PNP,” Gamboa said.

On Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said it was Gamboa’s honesty that earned him PNP’s top post.

Panelo said 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 expected from his appointees.

Prior to his appointment, Gamboa served as PNP officer-in-charge for three months after the retirement of former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde who was accused of being involved in the “ninja cop” controversy.

As officer-in-charge, Gamboa acknowledged that he had been performing the functions of PNP chief “on limited capacity and authority.

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However, he said three months as OIC has made him “more than ready” to take on the responsibility given to him by the Commander-in-Chief.

Gamboa was also the spokesman of the Davao Region Police Office from December 1997-2002 while he was studying law at the Ateneo de Davao University and passed the Bar Exam in 2004.

In Camp Crame, he held the positions of Deputy Director of the Directorate for Logistics, Directorate for Comptrollership, and Deputy Chief for PNP Administration.

Gamboa, the 23rd PNP chief, 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.

He is the third member of the PMA Sinagtala Class to become the country’s top cop.

Others are Albayalde and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.