New PNP chief says he has lots of things to do even after he earns Duterte nod

January 20, 2020

The newly-designated chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said he has still a lot of things to do even after he earned the trust of President Rodrigo Duterte.

In a press briefing, Police Lieutenant General Archie Francisco Gamboa said Duterte told him that he has proven his sincerity.

“It’s actually an evaluation but requires a continuing action on my part. Meaning to say, I take it as a challenge that I saw in you your sincerity, continue to do this. So I’m not saying that it ends now that I gained his trust. There is more to come and more for me to prove that indeed showing sincerity to the president but more importantly to the government and to the entire Filipino people,” Gamboa said.

Duterte last Friday designated Gamboa as the new chief PNP after three months of looking for an “honest” police official that will replace former general Oscar Albayalde who stepped down on October last year.

The chief PNP said he met with the president and Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano immediately after the announcement in Davao City.

“He has a lot of directives but generally if we compressed it will deal to the issues of vigorous drug campaign and cleansing the PNP,” said Gamboa.

“And even after the talk with the President and the SILG. Still on top priority is our campaign against illegal drug and cleansing the PNP. So these are the two primary programs which I started when I was still the oversight committee chairman, when I was the deputy chief for operations and when I assume as officer-in-charge and now as chief PNP, these will be my priority,” he said.

He said as a lawyer, he wants every member of the PNP to be most respectful of the rule of law and everything that its stands for.

“There shall be no individual or unit action outside of the justice system under any circumstances. Everything shall be above-board and compliant with the requirements of due process, human rights, transparency and public accountability,” he said.

Asked on the morale of the police, Gamboa said nothing has changed since police officers are committed with doing their job to serve the public.

“There is so much at stake which is the interest of the public… If you are in government service, you cannot be onion-skinned. As a matter of fact you should just work and work,” he said.

As the new leader of the PNP, Gamboa said it will always be a “team” mindset.

“This is addressed to the entire PNP organization. I am just your leader but every single individual in the PNP counts that's why I call it team PNP because this is a participative leadership. I cannot do this alone. We have to do this as an organization, as team PNP,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS