Lawyer named head of PNP unit that probes scalawags

A civilian has been appointed to head the police department in charge of instilling discipline among members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Lawyer Alfegar Triambulo will be the new Inspector General of PNP's Internal Affairs Service (IAS), PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa announced Thursday.

"Effective November 8 ang papers nila. I haven’t seen the orders yet coming from the Malacañang pero sabi niya may dala-dala daw siyang order," he told reporters after a Christmas gift giving for children of drug suspects who surrendered to the government.

"Basta in-orderan siya ni Presidente," he added.

Triambulo was the Assistant Director for the Inspection, Monitoring  and Investigation Services of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) before his appointment to the IAS.

He has been with the Napolcom since 1990 and even served as Regional Director of Napolcom Region 11. He also became a chairman of Regional Appellate Board of Napolcom in Region 11 and National Capital Region.

Triambulo, who started his government service with the National Bureau of Investigation in 1979, said he has been applying for the IAS post even during past administrations.

As IAS chief, he said he wants to strengthen the intelligence division of the department.

"Isa pang binabalak ko na maging matatag ang IAS regarding doon sa pagtugis ng mga sinasabi nating scalawags sa police kaya palalakasin namin nag intelligence division para sa internal cleansing nung mga taong abusado at hindi tapat sa tungkulin," he said.

He assured the public that IAS will be fair in its investigations during his term.

"Pag ang IAS ang mag-imbestiga sa aking pamumuno, makakaasa sila ng patas, wala po kaming kakampihan. Kung may nilabag man, dapat nating parusahan. No one is above the law," Triambulo said.

Republic Act No. 8551 or the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998 mandates that the head of the Internal Affairs should be a civilian. Section 40 of RA 8551 states that “the head of the Internal Affairs Service shall be a civilian who shall meet the qualification requirements provided herein."

It is the President who appoints the IAS Inspector General upon the recommendation of the Director General or the PNP chief and duly endorsed by the Napolcom.

The head of the IAS in the past years had been members of the PNP.

Senator Grace Poe has repeatedly asked former President Benigno Aquino III and now President Rodrigo Duterte to appoint a civilian IAS head to ensure fairness in investigations. —KBK, GMA News