By Aaron Recuenco
Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), defended yesterday his decision to give a second chance to a police colonel, who was relieved and whose last unit headed was abolished for wrongdoing, to their third return to the war on drugs.
Dela Rosa even vouched for the qualifications of Senior Supt. Albert Ignatius Ferro to head the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), saying he expects him to accomplish more than what he achieved when he was still the head of the defunct Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG).
“I am after the performance of PDEG, especially that the President reverted the war on drugs on us. So I need someone who can steer this group, the PDEG, to a higher level, to perform and deliver. And I know he can really deliver,” said Dela Rosa.
Ferro, it was recalled, was the commander of the AIDG when some of its personnel, including an officer with a rank of superintendent (equivalent to lieutenant colonel in the military), were implicated in the kidnap-slay and ransom of South Korean executive Jee Ick Joo.
The controversy created by the killing, which occurred right inside the PNP Headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City, resulted in the PNP being kicked out of the drug war.
But Dela Rosa said Ferro was only relieved because of command responsibility, noting that the official was even instrumental in the resolution of the case when he turned over other AIDG personnel involved to the AKG.
Dela Rosa, however, said that the most important reason why he put back Ferro at the helm of the PNP war on drugs is his deep and wide connection to the anti-drugs units of other countries.
“The reason is that he has established contacts with foreign counterparts and it is really difficult to do that, to gain the trust and confidence of his counterparts in other countries like China and the United States,” said Dela Rosa.
Aside from the two countries, Dela Rosa said Ferro has also deep connection with anti-drugs units of Taiwan, Hong Kong and some of South East Asian countries.
“It takes time to establish but he (Ferro) has already established that,” the official said.
Ferro replaced Chief Supt. Joseph Adnol as PDEG chief on Monday. He was assigned to the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO) after the abolition of the AIDG.
ALL PRAISES
Dela Rosa also could not help but praised Ferro who appeared to have gained his trust and confidence on the aspect of anti-drugs operations.
“Some guys are lucky, but not so committed. Some guys are unlucky, but very committed. Rarely you can find officers now who are both lucky and highly committed,” said dela Rosa.
“Ferro is very competent but he became unlucky because of some of his erring men. But he has learned his lessons well so he deserves another chance,” he added.
While a lot of officers are also qualified, dela Rosa said he still prefers Ferro despite criticisms of some personalities and groups over the Jee Ick Joo case.
“They should just remove me if I could not exercise my role to choose my sub-commanders. They should just criticize me and not Colonel Ferro. That is my prerogative, that is my decision,” said Dela Rosa.
LESSONS LEARNED
Because of his gloomy experience as AIDG chief, dela Rosa said he expects Ferro to learn his lesson well, especially in the aspect of choosing those who would be assigned to PDEG.
As such, he instructed him to coordinate with the Directorate for Intelligence for the strict vetting process of those who would be chosen to be assigned to the PDEG.
