Accountability and responsibility of DILG, PNP

THE spate of high profile cases of violence in the province over the last two weeks had many Pangasinenses asking  – “What is happening here?” “Who’s in control?”

Gov. Amado T. Espino is quick to blame the lack of permanency in the provincial PNP leadership owing to the refusal of the Department of Local Government and Interior to go through the process established by law in appointing a permanent provincial director.  While his observation may be viewed as a typical finger-pointing to evade political responsibility, in fairness to him, the situation begs a positive response from the national government, not him. A commanding officer on a tentative assignment cannot be expected to commit to medium and long-term strategies that necessarily carry the command responsibility. Our laws have established that the responsibility for the maintenance of peace and order falls squarely on the shoulders of PNP with one caveat, that there is cooperation between the local government and the PNP. That assumption is premised on the given privilege and right of the local government chief executive to choose a police officer who enjoys his trust and confidence.

Pangasinenses need to make Gov. Espino fully accountable, but they cannot because he is denied that which should make him accountable. It behooves upon DILG Sec. Mar Roxas then to end the impasse between them and finally comply with the process that allows the governor to have his chosen candidate as provincial police director.  Until then, Pangasinenses can only look in the direction of Sec. Roxas and PNP Director Alan Purisima as the persons responsible for the deteriorating peace and order in the province.

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Bagging Binay

ONE of the easiest ways to pin down a crook is through digging deep into his taxes.  That has since become the benchmark after Al Capone, the infamous American gangster, was found to have mis-declared his income tax.  The police and government couldn’t nail Capone down but, through his tax records that were found to be anomalous, they were able to finally put him behind bars.

Vice President Jojo Binay, the frontrunner in the 2016 presidential derby, seems to be in league with Capone today?  That’s because Binay faces allegations he had overpriced the Makati City Hall II that was built when he was mayor of Makati.

Experts say the building cost only P700 million and not P2.2 billion as Binay says.  If there should be probable cause to hale Binay to court, Binay might get himself disqualified on graft and plunder.

It’s getting to be interesting.

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