Razon takes over as PNP chief, told by Arroyo to leave human rights protection as legacy

By Ronron
October 1, 2007

Deputy Director General Avelino Razon, Jr. took over on Monday as the new Philippine National Police (PNP) chief with the retirement of Gen. Oscar Calderon.

In simple rites at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo installed Razon as the 14th PNP chief with a standing order to put an end to killings of political activists and journalists.

“If Oca Calderon’s legacy is housing, I am hoping that the legacy of Sonny Razon is on human rights,” Arroyo said in Filipino in her speech as guest of honor.

“Especially because Sonny was the head (previously) of Task Force USIG, I also instruct Gen. Razon to continue to be on top of Task Force USIG, except that now he is chief PNP, his perspective must be wider now. It must not only be on police action but the entire criminal justice system,” she added.

Razon was the first commander of Task Force USIG when it was created in June last year by Arroyo to address the so-called extrajudicial killings. It is now being headed by Director Jefferson Soriano, chief of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM).

Arryo said the first report she wants to see from Razon immediately after his assumption is “an update on the arrest, convictions, and imprisonment of those responsible for the killings of political activists and journalists.”

Based on the latest report of Task Force USIG, there have been 116 validated cases of slain militant members since 2001, of which 56 were filed in court and the remaining 60 are still under investigation.

For the 27 slain media practitioners, 21 cases were filed in court and the six others remain under investigation.

Razon told reporters after the ceremony that he will submit the report within two weeks.

Asked how he will comply with Arroyo’s directive for him to continue addressing the political and journalist killings in the country, Razon only said: “We have scheduled a command conference immediately after this so we can outline our actions to address the concern raised by the President.”

On whether or not Arroyo’s order is achievable, he said: “The Philippine National Police can accomplish that. We should accomplish that.”

Coming from the United States where she attended the 62nd United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Arroyo reiterated in her speech yesterday that her government “deplores any and all killings of political activists and journalists.”

She said her government has even complied with some recommendations of the Melo Commission, including the establishment of separate courts to try extrajudicial killing cases.

The President took a swipe at the communist movement for fostering the culture of human rights violation as part of its activities.

“The communist rebels have spent years as a low level threat. It’s time for their disruption and violation of human rights to be put to rest so that the nation can move ahead. They impede the progress and development of a number of rural areas… If we are to become a First World country, we have to put to a stop to their ideological non-sense and their criminal acts once and for all,” Arroyo said.

She reiterated that her government, aside from taking the hard way, is opening the doors for amnesty to the communists through Proclamation 1377.

But aside from the human rights violation problem, Arroyo directed Razon to also continue addressing the problem of terrorism and criminality.

“The world looks upon the Philippines to continue to reinforce our economic gains with a solid foundation of law and order. And so, Sonny Razon should see to it that the war against criminality and terrorism is sustained at the grassroots level and that evil is kept at bay in the streets and in the country,” Arroyo said.

In his assumption speech, Razon vowed to deploy more uniformed policemen to the streets compared to those stationed at the offices and desk to live the PNP motto of “serving and protecting the community.”

“Let us bring back the old glory of the police force, when the mere sight of the an in uniform evoked respect and a feeling of safety and security among the citizenry. I want every man, woman and child on the street to feel safe because “Mamang Pulis2 is just around the corner. And I want the criminal element in the street to think twice before striking because “Mamang Pulis” is also just around the corner,” Razon said.

Meanwhile, Arroyo congratulated Calderon “for a job well done” in the 15 months he led the 120,000-strong PNP.

Department Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno, who was among the guests in yesterday’s affair, said he has suggested to the President to consider Calderon for a position in her administration as Presidential Adviser or DILG Undersecretary.

“We are discussing this ways of continued service because I think he has started a lot of things which we really feel should be continued… I’m think that maybe because of the importance of the work that he has done and he continues to do, maybe it would be better if instead of an Undersecretary in the department, he could even be Presidential Adviser on several aspects that are important to the President,” Puno said in an interview after the turn over rites.

“I discussed it with the President before already and I already told her about my belief and my recommendation that Gen. Calderon be invited to continue assisting all of the things that we’re doing so that there will be continuity. And she is of course very open to the idea because she also believes that Gen. Calderon has done a good job and is still in a position to help us,” he added.

In an earlier interview, Calderon had said he is willing to continue working for the government to help Arroyo, with whom he said he is indebted for his appointment as 13th PNP chief.

With Razon’s assumption, a top-level reshuffle at the PNP also took effect Monday.

The position of Deputy Chief for Administration that Razon left behind will be taken over by DDG Jesus Verzosa, the former Deputy Chief for Operations.

The new Deputy Chief for Operations, meanwhile, will be DDG Reynaldo Varilla of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

Director Geary Barias will become the new NCRPO chief in lieu of Varilla, as he turns over the Director for Comptrollership to Chief Supt. Eliseo de la Paz.

Further, the new Directorate for Operations chief will be Chief Supt. Silverio Alarcio, Jr.; the Directorate for Research and Development chief will be Chief Supt. Ray Roderos; and the Directorate for Human Resources and Doctrine Development chief will be Chief Supt. German Doria.

“The first order for the day is for every policeman to implement our motto, which is, we serve and protect… We should not be the oppressor, we should not be human rights violators,” Razon said./DMS