Retards in the Government Special Edition: New PNP Chief With the Same Old Promises

It's that time again. Time for the President to pick a new PNP Chief and then time to listen to his opening speech as he takes the reigns. This time there was literally only one man for the job.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/05/02/2095261/only-one-name-list-next-pnp-chief

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año only has one name on his list for the next chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Año said he has submitted the one-man list to President Duterte for his consideration on who will lead the 200,000-strong police force.

“The recommendation has only one name. But the President has the prerogative to also choose anyone with a rank of at least Police Brigadier General in the PNP force,” he told reporters.

Current PNP chief General Debold Sinas, who was embroiled in the Mañanita gaffe that saw him and 18 other cops charged for quarantine protocols, is set to retire on May 8.

He bypassed senior PNP officers when he was named as the PNP chief, succeeding retired General Camilo Cascolan, by President Duterte in November.

The current second-highest ranking police officer in the roster is Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the PNP deputy chief for administration.

PNP Chief Sinas, himself a symbol of protected and privileged corruption because he was never punished for the party he had which violated COVID-19 health protocols, is out the door as he has reached the mandatory retirement age of 56. And who is to take his place? Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar of course. 

Immediately Eleazar assured the public he would set about launching reforms. Everything from literally cleaning PNP stations to weeding out bad apples.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1893947/Manila/Local-News/Eleazar-to-focus-on-cleanliness-drive-reforms

With his assumption, Eleazar announced the re-launching of the intensified cleanliness policy (ICP), which he first implemented during his stint in the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Eleazar said the policy focuses on the maintenance of cleanliness in police stations, the implementation of reforms to stop the culture of wrongdoings among policemen, making the PNP recruitment foolproof through a QR code system to avoid “bata-bata” or “padrino” system, and intensification of community-focused peace and order operations.

“If at the very entrance of the police station, cigarette butts and garbage can be seen, and if at the very entrance the breeze is nauseating, it will be difficult for us to gain the respect and trust of our countrymen we serve, ” Eleazar said.

“Even if we have qualified new PNP personnel with the proper training, if these inexperienced policemen will be fellow bad influences who will teach them the wrong systems of bribery, laziness, abuse and greed for money, nothing will happen," he added.

There is absolutely nothing new in these promises. In fact we are told that he is "re-launching" the cleanliness policy. Shouldn't such a policy always be in place? It is the same old speech given by every incoming PNP Chief for two decades now. But there is one little twist. Eleazar says he wants to replace corrupt PNP officers with 17,000 new recruits.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/786773/eleazar-eyes-17k-new-recruits-to-replace-corrupt-police-officers/story/

Over 17,000 aspirants will be recruited this year to replace rogue uniformed personnel in the organization, as part of efforts to cleanse the ranks, the new Philippine National Police's top cop said Sunday.

In an interview with "Dobol B TV," newly-installed PNP chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar said he will make sure the recruitment process would only yield "the best candidates for the PNP."

[We start the internal cleansing with the recruitment of 17,000 police this year. We want to get rid of corruption, patronage system in selecting candidates to join 250,000-strong police force.]

(Problems in the police force crop up due to misfits and those with criminal records), Eleazar pointed out.

(Misfits could not have joined the service if the process was done properly), he added.

That is quite a revelation. PNP Chief Eleazar is saying they knowingly hire recruits with criminal records! And to boot he thinks 17,000 new recruits are needed to flush out the corrupt cops. Are there really 17,000 corrupt officers? Do they know the names of these officers? That would be 6.8% of the total number of officers which are corrupt. That is nothing to sneeze at.  

It's not just corrupt cops that is the problem plaguing the PNP. There is also the problem of cops who do not follow protocols. Eleazar is going to work with the DOJ and DILG to handle that mess.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1139891

The Department of Justice (DOJ) will map out plans with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for a course of action for erring policemen.

In a message to newsmen on Tuesday, Secretary Menardo Guevarra said DILG Secretary Eduardo Año and PNP chief General Guillermo Eleazar also “expressed their support to the DOJ-led panel reviewing cases of deaths arising from illegal drug operations".

"The DOJ will meet with the DILG and PNP in the coming days to discuss ways to accelerate disciplinary/ legal action against erring police officers," Guevarra said.

In previous interviews, Guevarra admitted that “in more than half of the records reviewed, the law enforcement agents involved failed to follow standard protocols pertaining to coordination with other agencies and the processing of the crime scene".

Guevarra said police officials began internal investigations and recommended administrative and criminal actions.

The inter-agency panel was created by the DOJ in June 2020, following a report from United Nations that "serious human rights violations" in police operations have been committed in the war against drugs. 

You know, there really is not much hope for the PNP. Why aren't there already protocols in place for dealing with PNP officers who do not follow standard protocols when processing a crime scene? Why is this only being acknowledged now after it was exposed by the UN? If these people cared a whit about real reform they would not need the UN to expose their massive misconduct. It is unlikely that Eleazar is going to change a thing. Hopefully he does, but the public shouldn't count on it. Too much is at stake for any real change to happen.