“General Torre will have his hands full but let’s wish him well”
THE general public might not have realized it, but the recent assumption of PNP General Nicholas Torre as the new PNP Chief was not simply the ordinary changeover of Command when someone retires but also historic.
This is because General Torre became the first non-Philippine Military Academy graduate to assume the top PNP position since 1986– a span of 39 years.
That changeover ceremony last June 4 was therefore truly a changing of the guards.
Henceforth, the PNP will be led by graduates from the Philippine National Police Academy. From what I gathered, there are now only three remaining graduates from the PMA holding key positions in the PNP. By the time they retire in the next 20 months or so, none will be left.
Thus, the PNP is again embarking on another chapter of its long history beginning on Aug. 8, 1901 as the Philippine Constabulary led mainly by Americans, then graduates of Constabulary Officers School that eventually transitioned to being the Philippine Military Academy.
Although we can say the PNPA is a clone of the PMA and should therefore not expect too much difference in leadership culture, it will be different in more ways than one.
General Torre will now have almost two years to show his leadership capability. And judging by the way he is starting his tenure, he seems to have followed the script of many of his predecessors by outlining some of his visions on how he intends to guide the PNP moving forward.
One of these was his exhortation to the PNP rank and file for more arrests to get rid of street criminality, focusing on low level illegal drug trafficking but with the assurance that suspects will be taken alive and charged in court.
He the PNP leadership will not be oblivious to those personnel aggressively implementing this program.
At face value, there is nothing wrong with this focus.
But perhaps, any recognition of hard work by way of promotions and commendations did not have to be specifically highlighted because in the uniform service, that is a given.
When an individual goes beyond the ordinary call of duty in performing of one’s duties, commendations, medals or promotions are available and there is no need to be dangling them.
Besides, there are other important problems that need Torre’s attention.
This is the recent growing perception of increased lawlessness.
Despite official figures from the PNP that crime incidence has been going down there is a feeling among the public of lawlessness because of the brazenness of some of the crimes being committed. Perhaps, the figures from Camp Crame are not true, reason why the public does not seem to believe it. Whatever, the PNP has a problem on its hands in seeing that the public has confidence in the PNP’s ability to maintain order.
It could also be that this perception is due mainly to a few high profile criminal cases that have impacted this public perception of apparent lawlessness.
For instance, the recent kidnapping and brutal murder of Fil-Chinese businessman and steel magnate Anson Que and his driver who, after paying the ransom demanded by the kidnappers. were still mercilessly killed by the perpetrators.
The other was the snatching of a Korean and two Chinese nationals with two Filipinos on their way to Nasugbu, Batangas a few weeks ago.
Still another was the broad daylight robbery of two South Koreans at the Bonifacio Global City which prompted the South Korean Embassy to warn its citizens against criminals apparently targeting SK nationals. The PNP cannot at all cost afford this kind of display of criminality in the country.
Crime fighting has become not only more complicated but also sophisticated due to modern communications, easy travel and the internet.
The PNP can no longer simply rely on the old practices but must train hard and to be always a step ahead considering that many crimes being committed today are transnational.
General Torre will have his hands full but let’s wish him well.
