MANILA, Philippines – San Juan City has a new police chief in the person of Senior Superintendent Joselito Pajarillaga after his predecessor quit over his alleged poor performance in the war against drugs.
Pajarillaga, a member of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Class ’89, assumed command of the San Juan police over the weekend, said Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula, director of the Eastern Police District (EPD).
Pajarillaga is the former chief of the District Directorial Staff of the Northern Police District.
He replaced Senior Superintendent Victor Arevalo, who quit his post after learning that he was one of the police chiefs in Metro Manila set to be replaced by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Oscar Albayalde for being remiss in his duties in the war against illegal drugs.
Arevalo was reassigned to the NCRPO’s regional police holding and administrative unit in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Arevalo is the first police chief to quit his post since President Duterte declared a total war against illegal drugs on July 1.
According to Albayalde, his first marching orders to Pajarillaga is to intensify the war against illegal drugs, especially in Barangay West Crame, which is only a stones’ throw away from the headquarters of the Philippine National Police.
“I expect him to perform above par in the war against illegal drugs. He should clean San Juan of drug pushers, especially the high-profile targets, in a month,” said Albayalde in an interview.
Albayalde said he forwarded a letter of recommendation to Mayor Guia Gomez regarding Pajarillaga’s appointment, which she approved.
Earlier, Gomez revealed that at least six barangays in San Juan are drug-infested, with students and minors serving as couriers of drug syndicates.
According to the NCRPO chief, he is still awaiting the findings of the evaluation committee headed by Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana, the NCRPO deputy chief for operations, regarding the accomplishments of the 38 station commanders and police chiefs in the campaign against illegal drugs.
Those who missed their targets would be relieved, he said.