This solon agrees with Bato, says LGU execs shouldn't pick police chiefs
Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa (left) and Davao Oriental 2nd district Rep. Cheeno Almario (Facebook)
Davao Oriental 2nd district Rep. Cheeno Almario agrees with Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa's pronouncement that local government unit (LGUs) officials should be stripped of their appointing powers when it comes their local police chiefs. “It is best for the PNP (Philippine National Police) to install their choices for provincial directors and chiefs of police based on qualifications and merits to ensure utmost professionalism in their respective performance," Almario said in a statement Thursday, April 27. Almario, a rookie congressman in the current 19th Congress, is a former councilor of Mati City. Under Section 51 of Republic Act (RA) No.6975, which established the PNP, governors and mayors choose their provincial directors and chiefs of police, respectively, from a list of nominees provided by the PNP. Almario believes its practicable for the PNP to designate police chiefs based on merit given the measures instituted within the police force to further professionalize their ranks in the past years. These include the extensive training and stringent process that police personnel take to perform specialized skills and acquire technical knowledge. Taking into account the series of courses and certification programs police officers must take to qualify for higher-ranking positions, Almario is convinced that this method of career promotion inspires confidence in all levels of the police organization. He stressed that promotions on the basis of merit and exemplary records will also address the common perception that the appointments to top positions in the PNP are politicized. Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, slammed the appointing powers of LGU chiefs during the recent marathon hearings of his Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, which tackled the alleged impunity in Negros Oriental.