An upright police officer

Instead of complaining to the police whenever their property rights are violated, many would rather keep their peace and charge their fate to bad luck. Baka nga naman ma-kotongan pa. The police will not do their job for "nothing" besides their monthly pay. Kotong, of course, is something ordinary folks, like drivers, had had to put up with as a "fact of life" until Lacson stopped the practice when he was appointed to head the PNP by a reluctant President Estrada in November 1999.

Worse, many suspected that the police were the criminals themselves. Remember when Reynaldo Berroya was caught, charged and convicted for the kidnap-for-ransom of a Taiwanese national, Raymond Chow? The Supreme Court finally acquitted him on appeal during the last months of the Ramos presidency, for lack of a quantum of evidence. In the Arroyo presidency, Berroya has been rewarded with the juiciest of positions, including being head of the Land Transportation Office, where under his watch, the rampant smuggling of cars was aided by instant registration.

Yet Lacson proved that the negative image of the police could be changed, by fair and firm leadership through example. In the 14 short months that he held the helm of what was indisputably the "dirtiest" institution of governance, he was able to overturn that into an all-time highest trust rating. Once more, the policeman was respected by the community he served with pride.

Edsa Dos changed all that. A succession of mediocre if not corrupt leaders took over under the Gloria regime. Worse, without a Commission on Appointments somehow able to check the police promotions system, positions became a function of proximity to influential persons who were interested in the shady deals that the police could protect, such as jueteng and other illegal activities.

And because "cooperative" and absolutely subservient chiefs of the PNP were rewarded with high civilian positions after mandatory retirement, even up to sensitive cabinet postings, the promotions system became politically bastardized.

Recently, one highly qualified senior officer who had been bypassed several times despite being the "frontrunner" by professional standards wrote the PNP chief to protest the partiality of the promotions system. Last January 16, Senior Supt. Joel Alvarez of PMA Class of 1981, wrote Director General Avelino Razon, protesting the "lack of a transparent, accountable, measurable, objective and consistent senior officers' promotion and placement system based on the principles of meritocracy and seniority".

Alvarez had been successively bypassed for promotion and assignment as provincial director of Batangas, Bulacan and Pampanga, despite having been given first choice priority by the governors of these provinces. Instead, the Senior Officers Promotion and Placement Board (SOPPB) gave the directorship to officers on the basis of influential "whispers."

"The desire to land a top provincial PNP position is not uncommon among senior officers. However, I noticed that my efforts are futile since most junior officers applying for the same slots were given priority. I was either excluded from the deliberation or included in the list but bypassed," wrote Alvarez.

Note the provinces from which a professional Alvarez was denied placement. Batangas, Bulacan and Pampanga, "juicy" because of jueteng. Recall that their governors, Vilma Santos, Jonjon Mendoza and Among Ed Panlilio, trooped to the Palace sometime in October for a ceremony where they took the occasion to complain to GMA about the refusal of the PNP top brass, and more specifically, the DILG secretary, to name their choice among those submitted by the PNP in a list to them, as provided by law. It was during this meeting that Panlilio and Mendoza were given those infamous brown bags with half a million pesos inside. But not their choice of a provincial director.

Then again, Joel Alvarez was denied the post of chief of the directorial staff of the Manila Police District despite the endorsement of Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

"Seemingly, achievements or seniority are not given due credence, as all posts I applied for were awarded to officers more junior. That the entire deliberation process clearly lacks transparency and accountability is not malicious speculation. It is evidenced by the absence of a clear and measurable set of criteria," complained Alvarez.

Apparently to mollify Alvarez, the PNP chief recently gave him the provincial directorate of Camarines Sur. Surprisingly, Joel Alvarez refused to assume the position, because it would seem that he was being bribed to keep quiet about a dysfunctional promotions and placement system.

Rare is the breed of Joel Alvarez. Now the generals in the police department are mad at him. But Alvarez, a true officer and gentleman, feels it is about time that someone stood up against all the favoritism and lack of professionalism that plagues the Arroyo regime's police institution.

The other day, Sen. Jamby Madrigal utilized Section 20 of the rules of the Commission on Appointments on a set of two dozen officers whose promotions had been submitted to the body. She did it wholesale because some congressmen tried to surreptitiously sneak in the confirmation at committee level of a Brig. Gen. Nestor Sadiarin who was caught clearly lying before Congress regarding an electioneering act done in the 2007 elections, particularly against Sen. Sonny Trillanes whom CSAFP Esperon hates.

At least those generals and colonels went through a promotions system presided over by their seniors in the military hierarchy, and while some measure of "palakasan" is likewise involved, it is not as bad as in the police institution where politicians and powerful men get first choice over promotions, specially where "jueteng" provinces are concerned. One media-infamous regional director, for instance, is whispered about loudly even beyond Crame as having gotten his high posting because of the influence of "alias" Jose Pidal.

While military officers are vetted by the Commission on Appointments, in the case of the police institution, no such review is at all made. Whosoever the Boss Woman, or her husband, her son, or her brother-in-law favors, is promoted and placed in the best postings. And the PNP chief cannot and does not fight for the prerogatives of his promotions board.

No wonder the police institution is one huge demoralized mess.

***

Mea culpa. In last Thursday's article, I wrote that Benjamin Abalos public relations troubleshooter worked for Team Unity in the 2007 elections. Wrong. He was with the Genuine Opposition (GO) communications group, brought in by a former senator. Now I likewise found out that this PLLO handler of Leo San Miguel, this Atty. Marcelino "Yukky" Agana, son of the late Rep. Venice Borja-Agana of Bohol, used to be the chief of staff of this senator. Small world.

Though certainly this former senator had absolutely nothing to do with Ben Abalos. Just a case of past associations.