Senators hit police for rejecting Panlilio's request

MANILA, Philippines - Two senators have found lapses in the way the Philippine National Police (PNP) dealt with the request of Governor Eddie Panlilio for a new provincial police director in Pampanga. Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, described as unusual the case of the priest-turned-governor. Committee vice chairman Senator Francis Escudero, for his part, said the removal of the name of Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag from the list of the PNP's recommended provincial police chief was wrong. Panlilio appeared before the Senate committee to present his thoughts about his authority to choose his provincial police director. The governor reiterated his right to select the provincial police director of his province. He has been trying to get Binag appointed for the position since July last year. The PNP earlier furnished Panlilio with a list which contained the names of Binag and Senior Superintendents Abner Dimabuyu and Keith Singian, who is the officer-in-charge of the Pampanga police. However, the name of Binag was removed from the list. Director Edgardo Acuña, PNP director for personnel and records, who attended the committee hearing with Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 Director Errol Pan, said Pan did not "hide" the list of the National Police Commission (Napolcom). He also apologized to Panlilio for what he called as "administrative mis-coordination." During the inquiry, Panlilio reiterated that he wants Binag as his provincial police director and criticized Pan for allegedly giving him petty excuses. Panlilio said Pan had told him that Binag could not be assigned to Pampanga because he has yet to be assigned in any part of Central Luzon. Another reason cited was that Binag is needed in his present post at the National Transformation Program of the PNP. The third reason is that Binag is too "junior," as there are other senior police officers who can be appointed as provincial police director. In a separate interview with Panlilio, he said the mistakes done by the PNP are uncalled for. He also cited the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Law of 1990 which states that, "the provincial governor shall choose the provincial director from a list of three eligible recommended by the PNP Regional Director." - Sun.Star