Senator Richard J. Gordon commended President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for instituting the reorganization in the Philippine National Police (PNP) after the Senate Blue Ribbon, and Justice and Human Rights Committee investigations exposed the ‘agaw-bato’ scheme involving 13 police officers tagged as ‘ninja cops’.
“I would like to commend the President, nagalit siya, nagkaroon ngayon ng overhaul, naglilipatan lahat,” Gordon said on Monday, referring to the reshuffling of officers being conducted by the PNP.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo confirmed Duterte’s disappointment over the connection of ‘ninja cops’ to illegal drug activities and said that the President laments that some members of the PNP still committed illegal doings although he already increased and even doubled their salaries.
PNP officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa announced that all officials of the PNP are placed on a three-month probation starting Monday, October 21, including those who hold key positions such as regional directors and chief of directorates. The statement came following a massive reshuffling that redeployed at least 20 generals and two colonels.
Gamboa also gave marching orders to be implemented immediately, namely: no golf during weekdays; no presence in gambling joints, casinos, cockpits, and public drinking places; no take from gambling and drug groups; no use of confiscated vehicles; and no use of private vehicles without plate numbers.
Gordon noted, however, that the Senate will continue to keep an eye on the national police force.
“I can assure you, the Senate is going to watch with eagle eyes and see whether this thing will stop,” he said.
The major revamp in the PNP was a result of the inquiries conducted by the Blue Ribbon and Justice Committees, both chaired by Gordon. The investigations on the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law exposed various anomalies and corruptions surrounding the PNP, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
