Retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Guillermo Eleazar was sworn in as an official member of the Partido Reporma on Sunday (Nov. 14), paving the way for his candidacy as senator.
Eleazar is expected to file his certificate of candidacy on Monday (Nov. 15).
It was Partido Reporma standard bearer Sen. Panfilo Lacson who convinced Eleazar to run for senator at a meeting when the latter explained one of the issues that was hurled at the PNP, and sought for the former’s guidance as a former PNP chief.
Lacson also dared Eleazar to replicate what he did for the PNP, wherein the former PNP chief was able to restore the trust and confidence of the Filipino people in the police through quick, reliable, and honest police service.
“Today, I accept the challenge to replicate the brand of public service that we have shown in the Philippine National Police in the past six months,” Eleazar said at the Partido Reporma’s activity in Pampanga where he was introduced as a senatorial candidate of the party.
“I accept the challenge to work for the vision of genuine reform and transformation for the Filipino people, and I accept the challenge to run for senator of the Republic of the Philippines.”
Eleazar was sworn in by Lacson. Present at the activity were vice presidential aspirant Sen. Vicente Sotto III and the party’s senatorial candidates Monsour del Rosario and Dr. Minguita Padilla.
During the activity in Pampanga, Lacson was all praises for Eleazar for the successful implementation of various programs and projects that led to the unprecedented jump in the trust and approval ratings of the PNP in just six months.
“Nagtagumpay siya [as PNP chief]. Alam niyo sa mga naging chief PNP, ipuwera niyo ‘yung sarili ko, pero palagay ko mas magaling pa nga sa akin eh,” said Lacson.
“Ngayon ko lang na-realize na six months lang pala siya and in the six months’ period na nagsibili siya, ang daming nangyari sa PNP. He is a performer,” he added.
Eleazar assumed the top post in May 7 and immediately launched the Intensified Cleanliness Policy which is anchored on ensuring that all small problems in the PNP must be addressed immediately and with a goal of winning back the trust and confidence of the Filipino people and the dignity and integrity of those in the police service amid intense criticisms in the last five years.
He led by example and strengthened the disciplinary mechanisms in the PNP by immediately punishing the bad eggs while commending those who perform well and defending those who did their job well.
Eleazar also instituted various reform programs in the PNP that include the launching of the faceless and nameless QR code system in the recruitment to put an end to the padrino system in the PNP.
He also modernized the complaint referral system under the e-Sumbong wherein the public can seek assistance and file complaints through social media. He also initiated Project e-Access to give netizens access to the accounts that were commonly and previously used by cybercriminals.
Eleazar is also known for his being a consensus-builder. Instead of starting territorial wars with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, he initiated talks that resulted in an agreement ending the turf war between the two anti-drug groups.
Eleazar also earned praise from the people and various groups that included even critics of the government for opening the documents on the drug war to the Department of Justice for review amid allegations of human rights abuses.
He also strengthened transparency and accountability in the conduct of police operations by facilitating the release of body-worn cameras and coordinating with the Supreme Court to come up with the guidelines on how to use them by the police on the ground.
He served as the chief of police of San Pedro, Laguna where he was awarded as the best junior police officer, the director of the Quezon City Police District where he earned his first star rank, the director of the Police Regional Office 4A where he ensured the peaceful and credible conduct of elections during the 2019 midterm elections in the region, led the National Capital Region Police Office to receive its first ever Best Police Regional Office award, and also led the implementation of the health protocols for COVID-19 as the Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander.
A native of Tagkawayan, Quezon, he entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1983 after he was challenged by his father Victor, a World War II veteran, if he had what it takes to be in the uniformed service.
He graduated cum laude in 1987 and ranked fourth among the graduates. (PR) – jlo
