New PNP head Nartatez skips first House hearing invitation
At A Glance
- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. skipped on Wednesday, Aug. 27, the hearing of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety just a day after he assumed the top post of the country's police force.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Officer-in-charge (OIC) General Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. skipped on Wednesday, Aug. 27, the hearing of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety just a day after he assumed the top post of the country's police force.
The particular hearing served as the lawmakers' opportunity to get updates on the plans and programs as well as legislative priorities of various agencies, which include PNP, National Police Commission (Napolcom), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Antipolo 2nd district Rep. Romeo Acop noticed that the heads of all the agencies were present, except for Nartatez, who was represented by Police Brigadier General Christopher Dela Cruz, officer-in-charge (OIC) director for the Directorate of Plans.
"Before the briefing would proceed, I noticed that all the heads of offices invited are present today. May I know why the head of PNP is not present?" Acop asked
"I hope it will not establish a precedence of a chief PNP not attending the invitation given by Congress," he added.
Dela Cruz said Nartatez skipped Wednesday’s hearing as he was "preoccupied with a lot of things, being today his first day in office".
He said the police chief just assumed office on Aug. 26, the same day that news broke out about erstwhile police chief Nicolas Torre III's sacking by. Malacañang.
If anything, Dela Cruz told the panel that he sought Nartatez's guidance and that he was given the authority to speak and make presentations on the latter's behalf.