Philippine National Police (PNP) Officer-in-Charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, on Tuesday ordered all officials to continue the implementation of ongoing programs, including the internal cleansing.

“Let’s do our job, you know your job—on a daily basis what you’re supposed to do, and let not the other controversies affect us. Let us continue to work to serve and to protect our people,” Gamboa said in his message to all regional directors and national support unit heads during a command conference in Camp Crame.

Gamboa, the concurrent Deputy Chief for Administration (TDCA), took over the helm of the PNP after Gen. Oscar Albayalde, relinquished his position and went on a non-duty status ahead of his mandatory retirement on November 8.

As TDCA, Gamboa chairs the Oversight Committee of the PNP Internal Cleansing Program that went hammer and tongs against errant PNP members during the incumbency of Albayalde as top cop.

In the coming days, Gamboa said the PNP will come up with a briefing on the PNP Internal Cleansing Program since 2016 to inform the public how serious the PNP is in running after rogues in uniform.

“Much has been done already in our internal cleansing program,” he said even as vowed to continue the reforms initiated by Albayalde to rid the PNP of misfits.

Gamboa said under the Duterte administration, the PNP is winning the campaign against illegal drugs.

“This controversy that hounded us might be a temporary setback but I assure the public we can regain our stance and pursue our campaign. It’s only a very isolated case which happened in 2013 way beyond the start of this administration in 2016,” Gamboa said, referring to the Pampanga drug raid which dragged the name of Albayalde who was accused of protecting scalawag police officers.

PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard M Banac, meanwhile, said Albayalde left a noble legacy of a much-reformed PNP through internal cleansing and top-to-bottom house cleaning efforts.

“For this, General Albayalde enjoyed the respect of his peers for his courage when he made that bold career sacrifice to spare the PNP from further adversity,” Banac said.

“Continue our law enforcement operation and it will be relentless. We will continue and we should not be bothered by what happened to the PNP. Let us stay united and strong to regain the trust and confidence of our fellow Filipinos,” Banac told reporters.

Under Albayalde’s command, the PNP figured in significant milestones in Philippine law enforcement history including the all-time low national crime volume posted in recent months as well as the holding of the most peaceful elections ever in May 2019, Banac cited.

During Albayalde’s seventeen-month tour of duty, the PNP acquired PHP9.7-billion worth of mission-essential equipment for mobility, firepower, communication, and investigation, to enhance the operational capability of PNP units to perform internal security, law enforcement and public safety functions. These include 903 wheeled-vehicles, 22 watercraft and seven aircraft. (PNA)