STARWEEK: CALM IN THE EYE OF THE STORM - PNP CHIEF RAUL BACALZO
MANILA, FEBRUARY 6, 2011 (STAR) By Cecille M. Suerte Felipe– It was a boiling, bubbling cauldron that Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Raul Bacalzo was quite literally thrown into when he was appointed top cop in September last year.
A month before his appointment, the spotlight shone on the PNP in the wake of the Luneta hostage-taking incident revealed the glaring inadequacies and dysfunctions of the police force, and this on top of earlier revelations of video footage showing alleged torture by a police officer of a suspect in a Manila police station.
All that could easily have knocked the wind out of – or at least disconcerted – a lesser man, but Bacalzo remains adamant that the police force is working continuously and vigorously to address and resolve the country's security and public safety issues, striving to ensure a secure environment for the public.
The leadership of the PNP remains steadfast despite additional, more recent setbacks in their peace and order campaign – which include the bombing of a passenger bus in Makati City, the rise in carjacking cases and the death of three persons allegedly on orders of carjacking syndicate bosses.
Bacalzo understands that the public is feeling unsafe due to the perceived "crime wave" that has hit the country, but he is quick to point out that these recent sensational crimes are not directed towards the general public.
"These are basically target specific crimes," he explains. "Our studies indicate that the crime and security situation is generally stable as echoed by the upbeat mode of business and the economy."
"The stock market is growing. Small businesses are all over. These are indicators of a secure environment," Bacalzo points out.
As PNP chief, he makes sure that the PNP's resources and its 135,000-strong personnel are always put to good use for public security and safety. "I have not spared any type of resource to create an environment of security," he says. The January 25 bus bombing in Makati City happened while Bacalzo and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo were in Cagayan Valley consoling the families of five policemen who were killed in an ambush by suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels. Bacalzo and Robredo immediately flew back to Manila to supervise the investigation and see to it that all angles about the bombing were covered.
Bacalzo has tasked the Directorate for Intelligence and the Intelligence Group to leave no stone unturned in the investigation and make sure the bombers are caught.
Prior to the NPA attack in Cagayan, Bacalzo was busy working on the carjacking activities of the car theft group allegedly led by the brothers Raymond and Roger Dominguez which has been linked to the murder of car dealers Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista and Lozano's employee Ernani Sensil.
The charred bodies of the three victims were found one after the other in three different provinces in Central Luzon, where the car theft gang is reportedly based.
The Dominguez brothers have denied the charges, but police investigators referred the case to the Quezon City Prosecutor's Office.
Bacalzo has also ordered all regional and provincial police commanders, especially those from far-flung areas, to be on guard against attacks by rebels and other criminal groups.
But there were also pressing problems within the police organization. Bacalzo inherited from his predecessor the case of Senior Inspector Joselito Binayug, commander of the Asuncion, Tondo Police precinct, allegedly caught on video torturing a suspected snatcher. Binayug has since been dismissed.
"Binayug's case should serve as a warning to all policemen. A policeman like Binayug has no place in the police organization," Bacalzo emphasizes.
[President Aquino, accompanied by Bacalzo, personally inspects the passenger bus damaged in a bomb blast in Makati City. Pancratio Francisco/MPB] Aside from Binayug's case, Bacalzo also had to deal with the fallout from the hostage-taking incident staged by dismissed policeman Rolando Mendoza at the Luneta in Manila, where eight Hong Kong tourists and Mendoza were killed.
That crisis served as an eye-opener to the fact that members of the PNP lack sufficient training and equipment in handling critical situations.
As Bacalzo initiated steps to ensure that PNP reform is implemented, complaints against alleged abuse by law enforcers have continued to pile up.
A Manila policeman allegedly raped a vendor inside the precinct, while two members of the Rizal Police Office allegedly tried to murder a 22-year-old pregnant woman who was a witness to a robbery-extortion case. On New Year's Eve, a police inspector shot dead a town police chief – his superior – right in front of the police station in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.
Confronting the problem directly, Bacalzo has ordered the immediate dismissal, suspension and filing of criminal and administrative charges against Binayug and at least 17 other erring police officers for various wrongdoings.
Being the first PNP chief who is also a lawyer (he passed the Bar in 1984, ranking 12th), Bacalzo makes sure the law is enforced and everyone given due process.
This also means that the law is, as the saying goes, applied to all, even his friends. Difficult as it was, Balcalzo stuck to the rules when he was tasked to investigate the controversial Euro generals scam, which involved one of his classmates at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). He filed charges against eight generals and three colonels including his PMA classmate Orlando Pestano, who did not talk to him for years as a consequence.
[PHOTO AT RIGHT - Bacalzo visits a wounded police officer. photos by Leonito Navales]
"Our jobs transcend personality, relationship. Some people may say pambihira si Bacalzo, classmate n'ya sinama pa n'ya makasuhan (Why did he file charges even against his own classmate)," Bacalzo says. He has since reconciled with his mistah, and his recommendations following the case prompted the PNP to establish a system for policemen going on official foreign trips.
After these immediate actions have been taken, Bacalzo notes that the PNP must continue implementing programs to make it a more capable, effective and efficient police force.
"I would like to treat these criticisms as inputs to our programs of reforms in the PNP," he says. "From the very start my focus is on long term reforms for the PNP. That is my vision."
Bacalzo adds, "I would like to start with the setting up of a very strong foundation so whoever the next chiefs PNP will be will have a strong foundation to stand on."
With just eight months left in his term, Bacalzo has already made plans for retirement. "I intend to join a volunteer group, like a children's wish foundation, catering to the wishes of children with life threatening diseases, or an international human rights organization."
Retirement will also give Bacalzo more time with his family. His wife, Librada Granados, is a registered nurse in the United States. Three of their four children have followed in her footsteps and work as registered nurses in the US, while their third son is a chef. Bacalzo has three grandchildren.
"My family still works… it takes two to earn a living," Bacalzo jokes. "Umaasa ako sa sweldo ng misis ko (I rely on the salary of my wife)."
[The PNP chief, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo, and Teresita Ang See distribute rescue boats in preparation for rainy days. photos by Leonito Navales] Bacalzo says he makes sure to spend quality time with his family when they are in the country for vacation.
Now that the children have grown up and have their own families, Bacalzo misses their usual outings at McDonalds every Sunday. "Ako pa yung pipila para umorder (I line up to place our order)," he recalls. "I miss that. Now I try to do it but some staff of Mcdo recognize me (as the PNP chief)."
Bacalzo served as executive director of the Program Management Office, setting the roadmap of the Integrated Transformation Program of the PNP before President Aquino appointed him to the PNP top post last Sept. 15.
Before he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56, Bacalzo hopes to achieve much more for the PNP.
"We have started trainings as early as last October – trainings on investigation, unit training to develop camaraderie among policemen. These trainings would improve the skills and virtue of policemen," he says. "I may not be able to do it for all 135,000 policemen, but what is important is that I have started on a strong foundation."
Bacalzo believes the PNP is on the right track to achieve genuine transformation.
"I think the courage to admit that there are problems is considered 50 percent of the solution to the problem. Let us accept that there are problems and we are bent on addressing and solving these problems."
"Without the recent events, I will not be able to go with my vision for the PNP," he says philosophically. "(My term) may be short but I hope the vision will be continued by whoever will be the next PNP chief."
[PHOTO - Bacalzo as a young cadet in Parang, Maguindanao]. "The problem should be taken out by its roots," he continues. "Kung sanga lang, tutubo ulit yan; mahirap, huhukayin pa yan (If you just remove the branches, it will grow back. It's hard. We have to dig deep to uproot the problem)."
Instead of going into criminal activities, Bacalzo is encouraging all policemen, including the rookies, to dream of reaching the PNP top post.
"Mag-ambition silang maging (Dream of becoming) PNP chief. All policemen are now degree holders, thus giving everyone in the PNP a level playing field," says Bacalzo, who admits that during his early years in the service, he never thought he could reach the PNP top post.
"You are still young. Organize among yourselves, replicate the good things, and learn lessons from the not so good things," he adds.
Under his watch, the PNP chief hopes that people would not just see a peaceful environment but also feel it. "He (the ordinary citizen) must not only see that he is being kept safe and secure. He must also feel secure," says Bacalzo.
"Humility aside, I can honestly tell you that this job of securing the peace for our people consumes all my waking hours."
"It is hard to reverse the public perception, but it makes me more determined than ever to give all of what I can to the task of making sure that Filipinos can go about their business with both physical and psychological security," Bacalzo says.
"These have also affirmed my conviction that I am in the right profession."
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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