Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), on Thursday urged police officers in the region to remain focused on fulfilling their mandate undistracted by issues which have put the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the limelight.
“The police organization is now facing challenges like the Senate investigation. But I would like to remind each and everyone of you that this allegation is being investigated happened a few years back and all of them are being given a chance to explain,” Eleazar said in his speech before more than 1,000 policemen from the Southern Police District (SPD) after a One-Time, Big-Time operation that resulted in the arrest of a number of law violators in Parañaque City on Thursday.
“The war on drugs is a complicated matter but we should not be distracted. We have a lot of work to do,” he said.
He said the allegations against Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde should not affect the anti-illegal drug campaign.
“But we should not give them (drug personalities) that chance, we should continue our job and show to them that we remain focused on our job of relentlessly running after them,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar said this is the reason why he is meeting with as many NCRPO personnel as possible to boost their morale and continue their law enforcement duties.
PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, earlier said there is no need for a loyalty check among their ranks.
Banac, however, said he is confident that the PNP will be able to hurdle this current challenge.
On Wednesday, Albayalde said he will not quit his post, noting that he still enjoys the trust and confidence of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The PNP chief, who will bow out of the service upon turning 56 on November 8, is under fire for his alleged interference with the case of 13 erring police officers who were involved in the recycling of seized illegal drugs from a raid in Mexico town in Pampanga in 2013.
Albayalde, who was Pampanga provincial police chief at that time of the assailed anti-drug raid, was relieved from his post due to command responsibility.
The thirteen erring cops were ordered dismissed but the penalty was reduced to demotion after a motion for reconsideration was filed on March 14, 2016.
The Senate investigation on the issue is ongoing. (PNA)
