By Jennifer P. Rendon
Clothes hanging on an improvised clothesline. Vehicles haphazardly parked. Uncollected garbage. Clogged drainage.
These sights greeted Brigadier General Leo Francisco when he set foot on Estancia Municipal Police Station in Iloilo province morning of Oct 6, 2022.
Expectedly, the region’s top cop was far from being pleased.
“Baka hindi mo makilalang police station eh. Akala mo nasa Baseco ka,” Francisco said when asked to describe what he saw.
Baseco (Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Company), or Baseco Compound or also known as Barangay 649, is a parcel of land spanning more or less 520,000 square meters in Port Area, Manila. The area is mostly inhabited by informal settlers.
Before he was assigned as Police Regional Office (PRO)-6 director two months ago, Francisco was director of the Manila Police District.
On Thursday, Francisco decided to visit some police stations in Iloilo province.
He made his first stop in Estancia, a town around 128 kilometers away from Iloilo City, as he would like to be briefed on the ongoing investigation of the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) PALIBOSFER.
The unit is tasked with investigating the Sept 14 Estancia shooting incident that killed three young businessmen.
Francisco said he wanted to know the progress of the investigation that’s why he visited the Estancia Municipal Police Station.
But when he arrived, he was surprised by the physical look of the building and its premises.
“Super dumi (Super dirty),” he said.
Consequently, “for sure, may mananagot (Someone will take the fall).”
As a consequence, Francisco ordered the relief of Lieutenant Joebert Amado not just as Estancia police chief but from the Iloilo Police Provincial Office to the regional headquarters in Camp Delgado.
This also means that Amado will no longer be part of SITG PALIBOSFER.
Francisco said that transparency and accountability have been his brand of leadership.
“Bilang ama ng kapulisan, kailangan ma i-correct ko, Kung tama naman kailangang ma i-reward ko. Ganun lang naman ang kailangan kong gawin,” he said.
It is for the same reason that he didn’t go out to visit police stations immediately.
“I need to ensure na ang aking kampo (Camp Martin Delgado in Iloilo City) ay malinis, maayos yung parking, nag du-duty ang mga tao. ‘Yan yung sinisingil ko ngayon dito dahil magda-dalawang buwan na ako. Kailangan na nilang maisunod ‘yun,” he said.
The PNP has directed police stations to implement the Intensified Cleanliness Policy and are expected to maintain the upkeep of their premises.
Francisco said, though, that his visits to other police stations would be different.
“Alam mo naman ugali ng mga pulis, may magsusumbong na dun kaya tiyak nakahanda na sila. I already expected that,” he said.
Francisco did not say if he would make more surprise visits in the coming months.
