President Arroyo announced yesterday that she may dismantle the PAOCTF next year and replace it with another highly specialized anti-crime body.
In her weekly press briefing at Malacañang, the Pre-sident revealed that a study is underway to draw up a plan on closer cooperation between the police and the military in combating crime.
She said the new setup may adversely affect the existence of the PAOCTF.
While Mrs. Arroyo acknowledged that the task force may not be immediately disbanded, it would likely undergo a redefinement of its role. "Not necessarily deactivate it, but maybe, redefine its character," she said.
Retired Philippine National Police chief Director General Panfilo Lacson, who also served as PAOCTF chief, is currently running for the Senate under the opposition coalition Puwersa ng Masa.
Lacson viewed the impending disbandment of the task force as "politically motivated" and chided the Arroyo administration to name newly installed Armed Forces chief Gen. Diomedio Villanueva as concurrent PNP chief.
At present, the PAOCTF is headed by Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane who is reportedly at odds with PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza.
Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes announced during the same press briefing that the departments of defense, interior and local government, justice and the PNP will soon forge a multi-agency agreement providing for the activation of the new anti-crime body.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina clarified, however, that the proposed panel will not be a "superbody" similar to the PAOCTF.
"There is no plan (to create another superbody) and the military will not supplant the police in this anti-crime campaign. The Armed Forces will help, but the extent of assistance will be defined," Lina said.
Reyes said the military will merely help the police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies in terms of intelligence and information gathering, particularly in connection with drug-related crimes and kidnapping.
Reyes said the military will keep its hands off the arrest and prosecution aspects of the crime.
Reyes was mum on questions regarding redeployment of the battle-tested Marine troops to beef up police patrols in population centers such as shopping malls as implemented by the Estrada administration.
Lacson indicated that there was no need to restructure the PAOCTF since its members were "highly trained" against kidnap-for-ransom syndicates.
He said organizing a new anti-kidnapping group would take time, adding that the kidnap victims do not have the luxury of time.
"Now that the PNP as an institution is in near collapse and the kidnapping problem has gotten out of hand, they are coming out with quick fixes like involving the AFP in anti-kidnapping operations," Lacson said in a statement.
He said he is opposed to the proposal to involve the military in anti-kidnapping operations, saying it deviates from the soldier’s task of addressing internal and external security.
He explained that he called for the fielding of Marines in the metropolis during his stint with the PNP, but only to augment police visibility, not to actively participate in the anti-kidnapping drive. — Marichu Villanueva