Bato endorsed mistah Albayalde as next PNP chief

It was outgoing PNP chief Director General Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa who endorsed National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Oscar Albayalde to succeed him.

Dela Rosa endorsed to President Rodrigo Duterte his mistah or classmate to lead the 190,000-strong police force.

Albayalde and Dela Rosa belong to the Philippine Military Academy "Sinagtala" Class of 1986.

"Of course yung pageendorso ng ating chief PNP, ako'y nagpapasalamat ng malaking malaki. I'm sure without his endorsement eh hindi naman ganyan ang magiging outcome," Albayalde said.

"Siguro yung naging performance din natin, yung naging accomplishment natin although I cannot get that for myself alone, I have people under me na tumulong sa akin, the whole NCRPO ang gumawa niyan hindi lang ako," he added.

Five officials including Deputy Director General Ramon Apolinario or the No. 2 man of the PNP were the front-runners on the list to succeed Dela Rosa.

Unlike Albayalde, Apolinario worked with President Duterte as the Davao City Police chief from July 2008 to January 2010.

Albayalde, who is a native of San Fernando City, Pampanga, graduated as cum laude and Top 7 of the Sinagtala Class of 1986.

He started his career in public service when he joined the Philippine Constabulary Special Action Force on June 23, 1986.

Before he was promoted to two-star general rank, Albayalde served as Pampanga Provincial Police Office chief and deputy director of NCRPO's Directorate for Plans.

He has sacked a number of policemen and officials which include the 1,000 police personnel of Caloocan City Police.

In his bid to cleanse the police force from erring cops, Albayalde conducts surprise visits to police stations around the Metro even in the wee hours.

This even led to the relief of chiefs of police of Pasay City and Muntinlupa after police officers assigned at the precincts were caught either sleeping or drinking alcohol while on duty.

Caloocan City Police and Manila Police District (MPD) Station 11 personnel have also been relieved from their posts over "unsolved series of incidents" while the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 10 commander was also removed from his post "for having a filthy station."

Albayalde is set to take his oath on April 18 while his retirement is on November 8, 2019.

Dela Rosa was supposed to leave the PNP's helm on January 21 when he reached the mandatory retirement age of 56 but Duterte had extended his term of duty by three months. — BAP/RSJ, GMA News