MANILA, Philippines – Deputy Director General Alan Purisima will be the 18th chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), starting Tuesday, December 18.

The formal announcement came a month after Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas first announced that Purisima would be taking the place of Director General Nicanor Bartolome.

In a press conference, Roxas expressed confidence in Purisima’s ability to lead the 148,000-strong PNP with his “strong foundation” in policing.

“He has received international training from the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), from Maryland, in crisis management and critical incident courses and was the chief of the Directorial Staff and in that capacity was effectively the Chief Operating Officer of the PNP…(he) has performed competently and professionally and I’m very pleased and recommended him to the President,” Roxas said of Purisima.

Purisima will replace Bartolome, who was asked by the President to retire earlier than his March 2013 scheduled retirement, to give Purisima the needed time to adjust and prepare for the May 2013 elections.

The PNP is an election partner of the Commission on Elections.

Truthful service

Barring any hitches, Purisima, who will head the police force until 2015, will be one of the longest serving chiefs of the PNP.

He said the motto under his leadership will be “Serbisyong Makatotohanan” or truthful service. He said he plans to instill discipline in the police and to educate them, as well as continue the programs started by Bartolome particularly the Patrol Plan 2013.

He said part of the Patrol Plan was to verify all data, particularly the number of crimes.

“On that data we will be able to assess carefully how to deploy our resources. If the report of station commanders is not accurate, we will be using wrong data in our deployment,” Purisima said.

He added that the PNP will be more proactive in preventing crimes.

Purisima is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1981. Purisima once served as aide of the late President Corazon Aquino, mother of the President. As a member of the Presidential Security Group then, Purisima was assigned specifically to guard the young Aquino who would later become president, too.

Purisima also served as the director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). He was criticized for the almost 60% rate in Metro Manila during his term. – Rappler.com