'Sibakan na': 8 NCR police chiefs sacked, more to follow for failure to comply with 5-minute police response
At A Glance
- And there will be more police commanders who are expected to be relieved for dismal performance in strategizing and in properly supervising their men in ensuring quick police response to calls for assistance during simulation exercises
Eight police commanders in Metro Manila were sacked from their posts after they failed to comply with the five-minute police response policy, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III revealed on Monday, June 16.
And there will be more police commanders who are expected to be relieved for dismal performance in strategizing and in properly supervising their men in ensuring quick police response to calls for assistance during simulation exercises, according to Torre.
“We already relieved eight chief of police in NCR (National Capital Region) and there will be more because I was there in Central Visayas yesterday (June 15) in Iloilo and I cautioned some provincial commanders there,” said Torre.
“We will declare those positions open so that other interested and qualified police commanders would be given the opportunity to comply with our standard,” he added.
After picking Torre as his fourth Chief PNP, President Marcos tasked him to ensure maximum police visibility for the people to feel the presence of policemen on the ground.
In response, Torre has started implementing the five-minute police response—arguing that it is doable since it was successfully implemented when he was still the director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
The slow response to calls for assistance was also among the reason why Torre sacked several police commanders when he was still the regional director of Davao Region.
“That is our commitment to the President and to the Filipino people. So if they can’t cope up with it, if they can’t step up to that standard, we will look for commanders who will do so,” said Torre.
In ordering the relief and cautioning police commanders, Torre emphasized that chiefs of police should be more active in coming up with ways in maximizing the deployment of their men.
This is the part, he explained, when th use of radio communication is important.
“Actually it’s not about the radio itself, it’s about accomplishing the mission. You could not comply with the five-minute response if our chiefs of police will not be able to command their men,” said Torre.
“So I want them to actually command not only figuratively but literally, they can issue the command over the radio or in a communication that they want,” he added.