High-profile crimes like kidnapping for ransom, bank and payroll robbery have significantly been reduced in the less than one month in office of Director Edgar Aglipay, head of the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO).
But Aglipay’s initial success cannot be sustained unless the Metro Manila mayors soften their all-out support for their station commanders who are either retiring, unqualified, overstaying and performing below par in the campaign against criminality.
"General Aglipay is in a bind," said a ranking police official who asked not to be identified. "He has no moral ascendancy to lead his men if he cannot lift a finger against station commanders who are retiring, unqualified, overstaying or remiss in their duties."
The Star source said Aglipay would like to give police officials, who are qualified and have outstanding records, a chance to lead the war against criminals but the Metro Manila mayors are not supportive of the idea. The politicians insist that they choose their station commanders apparently to secure their political future, the source added.
Of the 37 station commanders in Metro Manila, four are either retiring, unqualified and overstaying in their posts. They are Superintendents Rolando Navarro, of Muntinlupa City, who is retiring on Dec. 20; Pete Sanson of Las Piñas and Leo Kison of Marikina City who stayed for more than two years in their posts and Jovy Gutierrez, who is presently enrolled in the Officer’s Senior Executive Course (OSEC). A number of station commanders are also performing below par but Aglipay cannot remove them because of the intercession of the mayors concerned.
Aglipay’s problem with the Metro Manila mayors has reached the attention of President Arroyo, who promised to resolve the issue.
When reached for comment, Aglipay said he has no misunderstanding with the Metro Manila mayors, who petitioned Malacañang for his return to the NCRPO.
"I have no quarrel with the mayors," clarified Aglipay as he vowed to exercise his authority as NCRPO chief to remove station commanders who are remiss in their duties.
Aglipay pointed out that he also respects the right of Metro mayors to select the replacements of their station commanders from among a list of five qualified candidates.
""They can have whomever they want provided they are qualified and have outstanding service records," said Aglipay.
Aglipay said he will talk to Metro Manila mayors regarding the problem some time this month. He expressed confidence that they would give him full authority to install qualified and hardworking station commanders so the police anti-criminality campaign can proceed unhindered.
Meanwhile, Aglipay found an ally in Manila Mayor Lito Atienza in his program to subject policemen to a mandatory daily formation and roll call to flush out "15-30" cops. "This has been the practice before and Gen. Aglipay is just reviving it. It promotes discipline and accountability among the officers and men," he said.
Aglipay ordered a daily head-count of policemen in Metro Manila following reports that many of the cops do not report for work regularly but collect their salaries.
This aroused opposition from various police districts, including Manila’s Finest (Western Police District) whose members threatened to walkout.
They complained that Aglipay’s program was "too harsh" and reminded one of the time when the country was under martial rule.
The mayor, however, said that he believes, that the program would strengthen professonalism in the police force and restore public trust in policemen.
He recalled how impressed he was when he was a small boy every time he watched policemen near his home go on formatoin every morning.
"Everyone was in full uniform as they fell in each morning in front of the police station. They would be briefed by their superiors and would be given their assignments for the day," Atienza said.
Atienza said that policemen were very professional at that time so the civilians had high regard for them. – with Cecille Suerte Felipe