MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde is keen on retaining the organization’s Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF) which goes after rogue policemen, and may even expand it.
“The CITF will definitely remain. If needed, we will expand it and complement it with all the counterintelligence units of the PNP,” Albayalde told reporters yesterday, his first day as head of the national police.
The CITF, led by Senior Superintendent Jose Chiquito Malayo, was formed by former PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa early during his term.
It draws members from the Special Action Force and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
CITF was formed shortly after the involvement of policemen in the killing of Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo.
“Meron kaming existing CI (counterintelligence) divisions and sections down to the provincial level. These CI personnel, they have to do their job. They are the ones actually on watch here, especially those coming from the Intelligence Group,” Albayalde said.
Albayalde is particularly concerned with weeding out the misfits among the field personnel of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG), which has reportedly been involved in systematic extortion activities from public utility vehicle terminals.
“There is no sacred cow here and coming from the highway patrol, since that unit is very vulnerable to extortion. They are the ones whom people have regular contact with, our countrymen on the road. So it’s very important that the HPG personnel perform their duty with utmost integrity,” Albayalde said. (PNA)
