Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), appeared displeased after Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido talked to media and held press conferences over his inclusion in President Duterte’s drug watchlist.
The controversial police officer has talked about the matter while the adjudication of the cases of the 356 alleged narco-cops are ongoing.
“Regarding Colonel Espenido, leave it to us. It’s purely an internal issue, I will deal with Espenido squarely as the chief PNP and he being a member of the PNP,” Gamboa told reporters on Wednesday after the celebration of the 1st anniversary of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG).
Espenido himself confirmed that he was included in the list and narrated the first meeting with Gamboa at Camp Crame.
Asked if there was a gag order for all the policemen in the drug watchlist, Gamboa said: “Yes, that’s the general instruction.”
Police sources said that Gamboa was annoyed when Espenido started talking to the media when the Chief PNP honored his word that he would not reveal any name.
According to sources, Espenido should have reciprocated the gag order imposed by Gamboa on himself.
“He should have kept silent because the Chief PNP even repeatedly declined to confirm in media interviews that he was included,” a ranking police official said.
“In an organization like the military and the PNP, there are unwritten rules that must be respected because there is a proper mechanism in dealing with grievances,” another police general said.
Gamboa said the PNP has been observing protocols when it comes to grievances of any member.
He said this is also being observed even in the social media accounts of policemen.
It was recalled that then PNP chief Oscar Albayalde sacked and charged several policemen who trolled him in the social media.
“We’re coming up with a social media protocols for PNP personnel because you have to resort to our own internal mechanism,” said Gamboa
“So why Espenido? That’s why I will deal with him internally,” he stressed. (Aaron Recuenco)
