EBDANE GETS BLANKET POWERS TO PURGE PNP

Amid persistent allegations of police involvement in major crimes, the
National Police Commission (Napolcom) gave sweeping powers yesterday to the
chief of the Philippine National Police to undertake a major reorganization
and cleansing of the PNP.

The blanket authority given to Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., PNP
chief, includes the summary dismissal of police scalawags and illegal
gambling protectors.

Ebdane was also authorized to relieve or reassign erring PNP members
without clearance from the Napolcom board.

He will wield the powers for two weeks through Sept. 11.

After receiving a fresh mandate to implement significant reforms in the
PNP, Ebdane declared: "We need to have a reorganization, some replacements
because we have to have a new team."

Police sources said Ebdane was staking his position as PNP chief in
proposing comprehensive changes in the ranks. "This is his great chance to
prove that he is worthy of being called the current PNP chief," one source
said.

Victorious from the killing last Sunday of Faisal Marohombsar, founder of
the notorious Pentagon kidnapping gang, and the rescue of four-year-old
Patricia Anne Lopez Chung, Ebdane gave himself yesterday a one-week
deadline for his PNP "cleansing process."

Thinking that a week was too short to undertake such a tough campaign, the
Napolcom gave him an extra week.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Jose Lina told reporters that
Ebdane' s sweeping powers during the two-week "cleansing process" were
similar to those of a chief operating officer of a private corporation.
Lina said Ebdane' s moves would be reviewed by the Napolcom board after the
two weeks have lapsed.

Lina, who is the concurrent Napolcom chairman, said Ebdane assured him of
an intensified campaign against crime.

Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Rogelio Pureza said Ebdane
could replace, reassign or fire "as many PNP members as necessary" during
the "cleansing process" and that the PNP chief "has been given the power to
reform the PNP."

President Arroyo had ordered the police and the military during her state
of the nation address to crush "the backbone of criminality and terrorism"
which has been scaring away investors and tourists.

Mrs. Arroyo has been parading arrested crime suspects in a bid to instill
fear among potential criminals and to encourage victims to come out in the
open and help authorities prosecute suspects.

Specifically on the problem of jueteng and illegal gambling, Ebdane said he
requested "to be given the privilege and authority to act" on the problems.

"What will be done now is for me to take over, provide the initiative and
do it the way the (PNP) chief must do it. It's my responsibility. I have
the authority," Ebdane said in a press conference.

Lina said Ebdane told him that the PNP personnel will further intensify the
campaign against jueteng and illegal gambling.

To protect the PNP personnel from abuse of powers by the PNP chief, Lina
said the Napolcom would automatically re-impose the current "three-strikes"
policy if Ebdane fails in his mission to significantly reform the PNP in
two weeks' time. The policy refers to the three instances a PNP personnel
commits a wrongdoing that would automatically lead to his dismissal from
the service.

Ebdane emphasized that he sought permission from the Napolcom board to
reshuffle the PNP to effectively address jueteng and assign more competent
PNP personnel and officers to help his drive.

Finally a 'genuine' anti-jueteng, anti-gambling drive?

On June 25, the Napolcom board issued a resolution allowing Lina to fire
five police directors, including Deputy Director Edgar Aglipay, Director
Domingo Reyes, Chief Superintendents Avelino Razon, Nicolas Pasinos and
Reynaldo Berroya and then Cebu City police chief Senior Superintendent Jose
Antonio Salvacion and Laguna provincial police chief Leonilo dela Cruz for
their alleged failure to stop jueteng operations in their areas.

Director Virtus Gil, head of the PNP directorate for personnel and
concurrent officer-in-charge of the directorial staff, hinted the seven
relieved police officers may be reassigned during the "cleansing process."
He said Ebdane has submitted to Mrs. Arroyo a list for her approval.

Gil said station police chiefs, regional directors and provincial police
chiefs can be relieved once operating units monitor gambling operations in
their respective areas.

He said police units from the PNP general headquarters and other police
offices may conduct anti-gambling operations, apart from the respective
areas' "organic personnel."

At the National Capital Region Police Office, Gil said the NCRPO chief
faces relief after raids on at least three districts where illegal gambling
was monitored.

At MalacaA ang, Mrs. Arroyo now wants the resources and personnel of law
enforcement agencies focused on illegal drugs trade following the
downgrading by the government of campaigns against kidnappers and terrorists.

The President ceremonially launched yesterday at the Palace government's
intensified anti-drug campaign when she convened the newly created
Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) authorized by the Republic Act
9165 she signed on July 4.

She instructed Lina yesterday to come up with an "order of battle" against
illegal drug syndicates nationwide, which will be the subject of a fresh
campaign.