Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge P/Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. will have big shoes to fill amid lingering questions behind the relief of his predecessor P/Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson, who served as PNP chief from 1999 to 2001, said Torre earned the public’s trust with policies such as the five-minute response time rule for police.
“Lt. Gen. Nartatez faces a big challenge because he has big shoes to fill,” he said in Filipino in an interview on DZRH radio.
“I mentioned before that he was the person the PNP needed because he is mission-oriented and is prepared to sacrifice himself to accomplish his mission. He has a good attitude,” he added, referring to Torre.
In Filipino: Lacson: Mabigat na Hamon ang Haharapin ng PNP OIC, Habang May Tanong sa Pag-alis kay Torre
Still, Lacson said there are questions surrounding Torre’s relief, which he said could have been avoided had there been better coordination between Torre and the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
He said what the public is privy to is that one of the reasons why Torre was relieved was his failure to comply with the Napolcom’s directive reversing his order on the reshuffle of senior police officials, including members of the PNP Command Group. Lacson earlier noted that Torre may have overstepped his bounds when he reshuffled members of the Command Group.
“We don’t know what went on behind the scenes. We’re not privy to that,” Lacson said. “If there is something Torre did wrong, it would be failure to communicate with the Napolcom when it reversed his order. Or in the first place, he should have communicated with the Napolcom when he relieved Nartatez.”
Lacson also said that following Torre’s relief and his replacement by Nartatez, there is a need to revisit the PNP Law such that if a PNP chief is terminated, he is automatically retired, to avoid awkward situations where the relieved PNP chief – a four-star general – outranks his successor since the current law allows for only one four-star general.
Still, Lacson said the PNP is a professional organization that will follow legal orders from the chain of command. He said the relief of Torre is the sole prerogative of the President as commander-in-chief.
“The PNP, like any uniformed organization, will follow the chain of command,” he said.
*****
Lacson: Mabigat na Hamon ang Haharapin ng PNP OIC, Habang May Tanong sa Pag-alis kay Torre
Mabigat ang hamon na hinaharap ni Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge P/Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., lalo na’t may mga katanungang bumabalot sa pag-alis sa kanyang pinalitan na si P/Gen. Nicolas Torre III, ayon kay Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules.
Ani Lacson, na nagsilbing PNP chief mula 1999 hanggang 2001, nakuha ni Torre ang tiwala ng publiko sa pamamagitan ng mga polisiya gaya ng five-minute response time rule para sa mga pulis.
“Malaking challenge kay Gen. Nartatez. Napakalaking sapatos na i-fill niya,” sabi ni Lacson sa panayam ng DZRH radio.
“Sabi ko yan ang kailangan, hinahanap ninyo, mission-oriented na pag inutusan talagang ibabangga ang katawan niya for the accomplishment of the mission. Maganda ang attitude,” dagdag niya, na tumutukoy kay Torre.
Gayunman, sinabi ni Lacson na may mga tanong sa likod ng pag-relieve kay Torre, na aniya ay maaaring naiwasan kung nagkaroon lamang ng mas maayos na koordinasyon sa pagitan nina Torre at ng National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Aniya, ang alam ng publiko ay isa sa mga dahilan ng pagkaka-relieve kay Torre ay ang hindi nito pagsunod sa direktiba ng Napolcom na bawiin ang kanyang kautusan sa pag-reshuffle ng senior police officials, kabilang ang mga miyembro ng PNP Command Group. Nauna nang binanggit ni Lacson na maaaring lumagpas si Torre sa kanyang kapangyarihan nang i-reshuffle nito ang mga miyembro ng Command Group.
“Di pa natin alam ang nasa likod ng istorya, behind the scenes. Hindi tayo privy doon,” ani Lacson. “Ang nakita kong pagkakamali kung may maituturing na pagkakamali ni Gen. Torre, dapat nang ni-reverse ng Napolcom nag-communicate siya, or in the first place bago niya ni-relieve si Nartatez dapat sana naki-‘Tao Po.'”
Sinabi rin ni Lacson na matapos ang pagkaka-relieve kay Torre at pagpalit ni Nartatez, may pangangailangang muling repasuhin ang PNP Law, upang kung ang isang PNP chief ay matanggal sa pwesto, siya ay awtomatikong ma-retiro. Ito ay para maiwasan ang alanganing sitwasyon kung saan ang na-relieve na PNP chief — na may ranggong four-star general — ay mas mataas pa rin sa ranggo kaysa sa kanyang kahalili, dahil pinapayagan lamang ng kasalukuyang batas ang isang four-star general.
Gayunpaman, binigyang-diin ni Lacson na ang PNP ay isang propesyonal na organisasyon na susunod sa legal na mga kautusan mula sa chain of command. Sinabi niyang ang pag-relieve kay Torre ay tanging kapangyarihan ng Pangulo bilang commander-in-chief.
“Ang PNP naman like any uniformed organization, tatalima yan at susunod sa chain of command,” aniya.
*****