NO-TAKE POLICY. Police Regional Office (PRO-7) Director, Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Dacoco Ferro, leads heads of command groups and chiefs of police in signing an affidavit promising not to take bribe out of any illegal drug and gambling operations at the regional headquarters in Camp Sergio Osmeña in Cebu City on Monday (Feb. 10, 2020). Ferro said any chief of police who will be caught violating their signed affidavit will be relieved, investigated and charged with the proper administrative case. (Photo from the PRO-7 Facebook page)
CEBU CITY – The newly-installed director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Central Visayas on Monday led provincial, city and municipal police chiefs in signing an affidavit promising to abide by the “no-take” policy of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Today, the PRO-7 is in unison and as one in signing an affidavit in support of our PNP chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa’s no take policy. It is about not taking any money from illegal gambling, illegal drugs and other unscrupulous and dubious activities in the region,” Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Dacoco Ferro said during the signing ceremony held at the PRO-7 headquarters in Camp Sergio Osmeña here.
Ferro replaced Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon on Friday (Feb. 7, 2020) in a simple ceremony.
He signed the affidavit along with his command group headed by Brig. Gen. Domindo Cabillan, deputy director for administration; Col. Geovanie Maines, deputy director for operations; and Col. Lemuel Obon, chief of staff. Behind them were the provincial, city and municipal chiefs of police.
Ferro said anyone among the chiefs of police who will be found violating his own signed affidavit will be relieved from his post, investigated and charged with the proper administrative case.
He mentioned about an incident in Bulacan where three chiefs of police were investigated due to their involvement in illegal activities which led to the relief of the provincial director.
“This will serve as a third warning to the members of PRO-7. When I was the director of Drug Enforcement Group, we were able to monitor several police officers here who have been in take with the illegal gambling mixed with illegal connection. That’s very timely that we reach an understanding with our colleagues in the PRO-7 that I am not remiss of my duty in telling them that we are serious in our campaign of having a clean slate PNP,” Ferro told the more than a hundred chiefs of police.
He stressed that even if they find “an iota of evidence” against a police officer, he already knows the consequences of his actions.
The new PRO-7 director said that the internal cleansing program of the PNP chief will not only be a temporary matter in his area of jurisdiction.
“To be a credible, effective and capable police force, what is needed is we should earn the respect of the Cebuanos and that is to the highest level,” he said.
Ferro said the command group will also review each performance of the members of the PRO-7 will try to know who are non-performing “to give them the chance to prove their worth,” adding that they will give necessary reassignment to those who would not like the changes he will impose. (PNA)
