Anduyan assumes as Normin police chief, warns scalawags

By NITZ ARANCON and
JIGGER J. JERUSALEM
Correspondents

BRIG. Gen. Rolando Anduyan yesterday assumed as the new police director of the police in northern Mindanao with a warning that he would go after scalawags in uniform.

Anduyan, who replaced Brig Gen. Rafael Santiago, however, said he was not keen on reshuffling key police officials in the region yet.

“I will not order an immediate revamp. There should be due process. We need to see first what their level of capability is,” he said.

Anduyan was installed by acting National Police chief Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa during command turnover rites at Camp Alagar yesterday although the former’s appointment took effect Tuesday, Oct 29.

The new head of Camp Alagar said he would go strict against scalawags even as he warned officers against being abusive.

“Nia kita aron pag-serbisyo, ug dili hari,”Anduyan said.

“Diliko gusto nga kanang mga sakyanan sa police inyong gamiton sa personal. Kana nga mga sakyanan, atong gamiton sa atong serbisyo,” he said.

At the same time, Anduyan ordered Camp Alagar’s finance office to make sure that officers receive their benefits on time.

“Aron dili na kana sila mangotong, kinangalan ang ilang mga benepisyo maka-abot ngadto kanila,” he said.

Gamboa, meanwhile, said he was saddened over his decision to relieve Santiago, his classmate in the Philippine Military Academy. But he said he had to give a six-month suspension order against Santiago due to an administrative case.

“Ang nag-decision sa kaso ni Gen. Santiago ang PNP. Gi-implement sa Malacañang, then gipa-agi saako, ug akong gi-implement,” said Gamboa who traces his roots to Maramag, Bukidnon.

Anduyan, for his part, said he was surprised that he was tasked to head Camp Alagar from the National Capital Region Police Office’s Northern Police District which covers the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela.

“It was a very secretive selection process. But it was good to avoid the selection process from being influenced. I think the (PNP leadership) knows who is capable and who is deserving,” he said.

Santiago skipped the turnover ceremony. Camp Alagar spokesman Lt. Col. Mardy Hortillosa said Santiago chose not to attend so he could pack his belongings.

Hortillosa said Santiago was called back to Camp Crame so he could face an administrative case filed against him before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Of four cases, three have already been dismissed by the ombudsman, he said.

The only case Santiago is facing, Hortillosa said, is his alleged failure to turn over firearms when he was the provincial police chief of Zambales in 2012.

“He (Santiago) told me his remedy is to petition for an injunction that would revoke his suspension,” said Hortillosa.

Santiago’s relief came after he was ordered suspended for six months starting Oct. 21, said Gamboa.