Eleazar vows to focus on security, order

MANILA, Philippines — Former national police chief Guillermo Eleazar has vowed to focus on making new laws that will protect the country from different kinds of internal and external threats should he win a seat in the Senate.

Eleazar said he would focus on peace and order as “it is the foundation of the country’s economic development.”

“In my 38 years of public service as a soldier and a policeman, we have seen the shortcomings to strengthen our peace and order for the benefit of the Filipino people,” he said, banking on his experience in the uniformed service.

“This is what we will focus on because I believe that security, peace and order is the foundation of our people’s development,” added Eleazar in his speech during the proclamation rally of Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma (Partido Reporma) on Tuesday in Imus, Cavite.

Eleazar, a native of Tagkawayan, Quezon and lone senatorial aspirant from Calabarzon, said he saw the connection of different crimes to the social problems in communities in the past four decades of his service as a police officer.

“We saw your complexity and bigger picture so maybe this is what pushed me to face you and ask for your trust and support,” he said.

Introduced as a “SIGA ng Bayan,” a coined term of Filipino values “Sipag” (hard work) and “Galing” (excellence), Eleazar was known as a strict disciplinarian when he was still in the Philippine National Police.

“If there are abusers and exploiters, who will be miserable and directly affected? Our countrymen, especially the poor,” he said.

Meanwhile, groups of 4Ps beneficiaries joined a kite-flying event on Tuesday as part of their show of support for opposition Sen. Leila de Lima’s campaign kick-off. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Paolo Romero