Ebdane told: End kidnapping, intrigue

President Arroyo called for a halt to internal bickering in the Philippine National Police (PNP) brought about by a scramble for juicy positions as the nation’s police force changed command yesterday.

Mrs. Arroyo also gave Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., who took over the PNP helm from Leandro Mendoza, one year to curb the rash of kidnappings-for-ransom plaguing the country.

Mendoza took his oath as secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communications yesterday.

To leave no room for excuses, Mrs. Arroyo dissolved the National Anti-Crime Commission (NACC) and the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force (NAKTAF).

"I’m giving Jun Ebdane the total accountability and responsibility for kidnapping, and I’ve challenged him to eliminate kidnapping in one year," Mrs. Arroyo said in a ceremony at Camp Crame, adding that Ebdane had "accepted the challenge."

In his acceptance speech, Ebdane vowed to "make crime very dangerous for criminals."

Mrs. Arroyo said the success rate in resolving kidnappings reached 63 percent last year with Ebdane as deputy police chief and head of the NAKTAF.

Ebdane said earlier he would resign if he failed to reduce the kidnapping rate. Feeling bound by Mrs. Arroyo’s commitment, Ebdane added that he "would even remind her" of her statement when a year elapses.

However, unless the PNP’s top officials stop bickering among themselves, Mrs. Arroyo said, the police would be unable to do their job.

She urged the PNP to "get rid of the division and intrigue that is threatening to rip the organization."

"In all candor, I think we do have some operational problems that we have to address, you and I. We are in this together and we must be united to face the challenge. The first thing we must do to unite and take the challenge is to get rid of internal politics," she said.

"I call on all of you senior officers of the PNP to think of the institution, think of the country. Let us get our act together. Let us get our job done," the President added.

According to Camp Crame sources, the change of command and the recent sacking of seven top police officials for their reported failure to curb jueteng set off a scramble for positions by high ranking police officials.

The rift has reportedly divided officials loyal to Ebdane on one side and Mendoza on the other.

Under her administration’s new policy of "command responsibility" in cleaning up the police force, Mrs. Arroyo said commanders would be held accountable for their officers’ lackluster performance.

"For errant cops, the commander will share the blame. As I said, the more the bungling happens, the higher the command responsibility goes. But the same for good things. For good cops, the commander will share the credit," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo yesterday ordered Ebdane to convene a "summit" on Tuesday to map out a plan in combating kidnapping and illegal drugs.

The scope of the police commanders’ responsibility will also be defined at the summit, Mrs. Arroyo said, after which "there will be no more excuses" for failure.

After the sacking of the seven top police officials, Mrs. Arroyo earlier promised a wider revamp of the PNP if the police fail to rein in kidnappings and crimes involving illegal drugs.

Mrs. Arroyo also vowed her administration’s commitment to improve police salaries and benefits as well as improved facilities and more equipment for the force.

Ebdane vowed to root out rogue police officers from the force, crack the whip on lackadaisical officers, and provide better training.

Pledging to see to it that "our families are safe" on the streets, Ebdane said he would introduce reforms and expect commanders to be tough on their officers.

"There is no room in the PNP for indecisive chiefs and directors who refuse to exercise their disciplinary authority, disciplinary measures will be imposed without exception in all levels of leadership," he said.

To win back public trust on the police force and bring down the incidence of crime, Ebdane yesterday ordered commanders to come up with a "program of action" to elicit cooperation from the community.

"If the PNP is to perform its mandate, we must learn from our mistakes and do our best," he said. — With Marichu Villanueva