Newly installed Philippine National Police chief Ronaldo dela Rosa on Friday gave policemen involved in illegal drugs 48-hours to surrender or face the full might of law.
“I’m giving you 48 hours to voluntarily surrender to me, otherwise just go on absence without leave (Awol) and be a fulltime drug lord and fight with us,” Dela Rosa dared scalawags when he assumed office as the 21st PNP chief before President Rodrigo Duterte in Camp Crame.
At least 41 positions were affected in the newly constituted PNP following the assumption of Dela Rosa in Camp Crame Friday morning.
Among the affected police officials were the four generals who were sighted inside the Novotel hotel in Cubao reportedly in a meeting with the staff of presidential bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas in April 2, a month before the May 9 elections.
Nicknamed “Bato,” Dela Rosa is a member of the illustrious Philippine Military Academy Class 1986.
He rose from junior officer to field grade officer while serving various assignments in Mindanao as battalion commander of the 11th Regional Mobile Group, Regional Intelligence Officer, Compostela Valley Provincial Director, Davao Del Sur Provincial Director and head of the Mindanao Satellite Office of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.
Dela Rosa said he is appalled by how much money corrupt policemen collect from illegal drug syndicates, an amount they used to extort from illegal gambling syndicates.
“I’m telling you this, this has to stop now, or I’ll stop you from enjoying your life,” Dela Rosa said. “I promise, your change is coming including your birthday, which will be changed to November 2 [All Soul’s Day].”
Prior to Duterte’s inauguration on June 30, hundreds of suspected drug dealers were killed in various encounters with lawmen in May and June, the period that Dela Rosa intensified the battle against drugs.
“We will be relentless in our internal-cleansing efforts, we have to eliminate the scalawags from within our ranks,” Dela Rosa told all members of the police organization.
The days of corrupt and abusive policemen especially those that are members of a syndicate recycling shabu are already ticking-down, he said.
“Finally, we have a President who is determined to eliminate all those who prey on innocent people,” the new PNP chief said.
Dela Rosa then asked for the full cooperation of the 160,000-strong PNP to join him in the battle against drugs, criminality and corruption. “I am your father, a father who loves and takes of his children, rewards his well-performing children and punishes his erring children,” he told them.
“You are facing a daunting task: to reduce to the lowest possible level drugs, criminality and corruption. I am not cowed by this challenge, I’m very optimistic that together we can win this fight,” Dela Rosa said.
He assured the Filipinos that the PNP was capable of ending the ills of the society, and asked them to help the police in this challenging mission.
Dela Rosa said his becoming the chief of the PNP was a God-given mission to be President Duterte’s right hand man in his crusade to provide every Filipino a safe, secure and comfortable life.
“Therefore to our beloved President, words are not enough to express my gratitude for your unwavering trust and confidence in me. I pledge to you my unquestionable loyalty,” he said.
The new police officials in their new designations were:
PDDG Francisco A Uyami – The Acting Deputy Chief for Administration; PDir Benjamin B Magalong – Officer-in-Charge, The Deputy Chief for Operations; PCSupt Ramon C Apolinario – Officer-in-Charge, The Chief for Directorial Staff; PCSupt Fernando H Mendez Jr. – The Acting Director, Directorate for Personnel and Records Management; PCSupt Nestor F Quinsay – Officer-in-Charge, Directorate for Intelligence; PCSupt Camilo Pancratius P Cascolan – The Acting Director, Directorate for Operations; PCSupt Maria Victor DF Ramos – The Acting Director, Directorate for Logistics; PCSupt Archie Francisco F Gamboa – The Acting Director, Directorate for Comptrollership; PCSupt Augusto M Marquez Jr. – The Acting Director, Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management; PDir Victor P Deona – The Acting Director, DIPO-Northern Luzon; PDir Moro Virgilio M Lazo – The Acting Director, DIPO-Visayas; PSSupt Dionardo B Carlos – Spokesperson/Officer-in-Charge, Chief PIO; PCSupt Oscar D Albayalde – Acting RD, NCRPO; PCSupt Gilbert C Sosa – Acting RD, PRO 2; PCSupt Wilben M Mayor – Acting RD, PRO 4B; PCSupt Melvin Ramon G Buenafe – Acting RD, PRO 5; PCSupt Jose L Gentiles – Acting RD, PRO 6; PCSupt Noli G Taliño – Acting RD, PRO 7; PCSupt Elmer C Beltejar – Acting RD, PRO 8; PCSupt Agripino G Javier – Acting RD, PRO ARMM; PCSupt Elmo Francis O Sarona – Acting RD, PRO COR; PSSupt Roberto B Fajardo – Acting DD, Northern Police District; PSSupt Romulo E Sapitula – Acting DD, Eastern Police District; PSSupt Joel Napoleon M Coronel – Acting DD, Manila Police District; PSSupt Tomas C Apolinario Jr. – Acting DD, Southern Police District; PSSupt Guillermo Lorenzo T Eleazar – Acting DD, Quezon City Police District; PCSupt Roel B Obusan – Acting Director, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; PCSupt Federico L Dulay Jr. – Acting Director, Civil Security Group; PCSupt Benjamin M Lusad – Acting Director, Special Action Force; PSSupt Antonio N Gardiola Jr – Acting Director, Highway Patrol Group; PSSupt Ma. O R Aplasca – Acting Director, Aviation Security Group; PSSupt Edmund A Gonzales – Acting Director, Maritime Group; SSupt Charlo C Collado – Acting Director, Intelligence Group; PSSupt Rene O Aspera – Acting Director, Police Security Protection Group; PSSupt Gilbert DC Cruz – Acting Director, Police Community Relations Group; PSSupt Manolo N Ozaeta – Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Kidnapping Group; PSSupt Albert Ignatius D Ferro – Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Illegal Drugs Group; PSSupt Reczon Tito T Acabado – Officer-in-Charge, Anti-Cybercrime Group; PCSupt Lyndon G Cubos – Acting Director, Finance Service; PCSupt Edwin C Roque – Acting Director, Legal Service; and PCSupt Prudencio Tom T Bañas – Acting Director, Police Retirement Benefit Service.
“This reorganization followed the time-honored tradition in the police service that recognizes merit, seniority and competence in the selection process,” Dela Rosa said.