MANILA, Philippines – With his organization hounded by a series of controversies since the coronavirus lockdown, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Archie Gamboa on Independence Day, June 12, took the opportunity in his address to urge all personnel under him to end anomalies in the police force.

“Nararapat na patuloy nating gampanan ang tungkulin na ito sa paraan na malinis, marangal, at maipagmamalaki. Iwaksi ang mga ma-anomalyang gawain dahil tayo ang pangunahing kagawaran na nagpapatupad ng batas,” Gamboa said in his statement, read at the Independence Day program at Camp Crame by his deputy chief Lieutenant General Camilo Cascolan.

(We have to continue fulfilling our duties cleanly, honorably, and proudly. We need to end the anomalies because we are the first agency implementing the law.)

For the rest of his three-page speech, Gamboa took the opportunity to thank and praise police frontliners, whom he described as heroes. (READ: Rappler’s Frontliners series)

“Saksi ang sambayanang Pilipino sa giting, sipag, at sakripisyo ng kapulisan (The Filipino people are witness to the heroism, hard work, and sacrifice of the police),” he said.

Policing problems: Gamboa’s message came just days after a police doctor, Captain Casey Gutierrez, died after he was mistakenly sprayed with toxic disinfectant while on duty at the Philippine Sports Arena in Pasig City — a facility managed by the PNP.

The case garnered criticism and allegations of negligence. It also triggered an independent investigation into the incident to be led by the Department of Health.

Prior to the fatal mistake in their care facility, the police was also bombarded with flak in early May, after one of its top brass, Metro Manila police chief Major General Debold Sinas, allowed a birthday party for him inside Camp Bagong Diwa, violating quarantine guidelines.

Sinas has issued an apology, only to say later that there was “nothing wrong” with allowing his subordinates to surprise him instead of sending them home. President Rodrigo Duterte, who has sworn against abusive cops, sided with Sinas.

The Metro Manila top cop has become a consistent subject of ire online for the incident, with Filipinos on the internet pointing out the apparent criticism of defending himself while his personnel have arrested tens of thousands for allegedly breaking the same rules. – Rappler.com