WE HAD so much discussions in the last Monday Club fellowship regarding the past week’s events. It focused mostly on Philippine National Police (PNP) General Oscar Albayalde. The keen interest was there because Oca, as he is addressed by kins and friends, is a local boy. He was born in the City of San Fernando and held residence and conducted business in Angeles City. He is so much in the news lately because of the “ninja cops” controversy. This controversy came into focus when former PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong disclosed before the senate’s Blue Ribbon Committee the existence of these so-called ninja cops, and the name of Albayalde was dragged.
In lamentation, he told reporters that he doesn’t know the scandal tainting his name started circulating “just few weeks before my retirement”. Oca will be 56 years old by the second week of next month. As mandated by law, this is the age for compulsory retirement. This controversy may cost him a possible appointment to a government agency. As we all know, President Digong Duterte has the penchant of appointing retiring military and police officials either to his cabinet or to other bureaus and agencies. It is his subtle way of eliciting loyalty from active people in uniform. Anyway, I don’t think Oca will help the wife in the mineral water distribution business. I think he must have save enough to venture in other business and have more time playing golf at the Mimosa Golf and Country Club.
In the meanwhile, at this early, senior PNP officials are already jockeying for the plum post. The most talked about who may likely to succeed him is National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) Police Major General Guillermo Eleazar. There are names floating but in the end it is Duterte who will make the choice. The likes of Generals Pancracius Coscolan, Archie Gamboa who are known to Duterte because they were assigned in Davao at the time the latter was city mayor. Another name floated was Brigadier General Vicente Danao.
If only President Duterte will carefully study the qualifications of the above generals, he may conclude that the public will be more comfortable with Eleazar’s leadership. As a background about Eleazar. He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy class 1986. He is no-nonsense police officer who is so much focused on his job. Resolute, intense, disciplined and hardworking. Never got involved in any shenanigan despite the many so-called “lucrative” postings. He served as the regional CIDG chief based in Camp Olivas. He got various assignments and currently as the NCRPO commander, he is well liked by media persons and business leaders.
I have come to know some of his family members. Guillor, as he is called by friends and relatives personal life is also checkered. He has an auntie who is mother superior of a nunnery. His late uncle was a catholic priest, a brother of his father. Presently his younger brother Fr. Richard Eleazar is the parish priest of Tagkawayan, Quezon, the Eleazars’ hometown.
And from strictly qualification standpoint, Eleazar is a cut above the rest, but ultimately that will not decide his appointment as PNP Chief, it is still in the hands of President Duterte, the former mayor of Davao City.