New PNP chief Alan Purisima gets fourth star

New Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima received the highest rank possible in the PNP – a fourth star – pinned on him during a ceremony at Camp Crame on Friday. The pinning of the rank was formally conducted on 7:30 a.m. in the presence of Purisima's wife and members of the PNP Command Group and Directoral staff. Last Tuesday, Purisima replaced former Director General Nicanor Bartolome who opted to vacate his post three months earlier from his scheduled retirement in March of next year. “I will be strict when it comes to implementation and I will expect nothing but the best results,” Purisima said during his acceptance speech. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas II, during the turnover rites on Tuesday, ordered Purisima to crush jueteng operations, amid allegations some police personnel were involved in the illegal numbers game particularly in Pangasinan province. “My marching orders are clear: Go against the operators and protectors regardless of their positions and party affiliations. Identify and charge them in court, and make sure that the cases filed are airtight and can withstand judicial scrutiny,” Roxas said. Last week, a plunder case was filed against Governor Amado Espino Jr. by Mayor Rodrigo Orduña of Bugallon town in Pangasinan, accusing the governor of earning over P800 million in almost a decade from jueteng. Roxas also instructed the new police chief to revise the PNP's Secure and Fair Elections (SAFE) 2013 operations specifically against jueteng. The PNP change of command was presided by President Benigno Aquino III, installing Purisima as the PNP's 18th head. Purisima graduated from the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1981 while Bartolome graduated a year earlier and is part of PMA Class of 1980. — LBG, GMA News