PRESIDENTIAL candidate and incumbent Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson on Saturday made a startling revelation – newly-retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar will seek a Senate seat under Partido Reporma in next year’s election.

“Yes, I confirm that he (Eleazar) will run under Partido Reporma to substitute for Paolo Capino who has announced his intention to withdraw from the senatorial race yesterday,” Lacson said in a message sent to reporters.

Eleazar, a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Hinirang’ Class of 1987 who marked his 56th birthday Saturday, is yet to confirm Lacson’s announcement as of press time.

The well-loved former PNP chief who was replaced by a member of PMA ‘Maringal’ Class of 1988, Lieutenant Gen. Dionardo B. Carlos on Friday said he is bowing out after 38 years of service from a transformed police organization.

In the past six months – he replaced his mistah, Gen. Debold M. Sinas last May 8 –Eleazar’s Intensified Cleanliness Policy (ICP) has done wonders for the PNP which has been struggling with its image, faced with accusations and perceptions of abuse and corruption.

From the PNP being 25th in public approval rating and 22nd in the trust rating in a survey among all government agencies, the PNP is currently 7th in the trust rating ranking and 8th in approval rating based on the Publicus Asia Inc. survey conducted from October 11 to 18.

“Nag-umpisa tayo sa isang hamon na maibalik ang tiwala at respeto ng ating mga kababayan sa kanilang kapulisan. Today, we claim the victory from that almost impossible task of doing it in just six months because from the 25th ranking in approval rating and 22nd ranking in trust rating before, we are now ranked 7th in the trust rating and 8th in approval rating of all government agencies based on the survey conducted last month,” he said.

“Nang dahil sa lahat ng programa ng mga dating Chief PNP na nasimulan, nang dahil sa paniniwala at pakikipagtulungan ng bawat kapulisan upang ang lahat ng ito ay mapagtibay at maramdaman, at nang dahil sa tulong at gabay ng ating Poong Maykapal, masasabi ng bawat isa sa atin na iba na nga ang PNP ngayon,” he added.

Eleazar said he would forever cherish his memories of being a military and a police officer.

“As I bow out of the service today as a police officer and as your Chief PNP, I will take with me the good memories of how the men and women of the Philippine National Police believed in me and supported me in the main goal of continuously bringing back the integrity and dignity of the PNP in my last six months as a policeman,” he said.

In his short tour of duty as the Chief PNP, Eleazar was able to establish and strengthen transparency and accountability in the police organization by instituting reforms and working closely with different government agencies such as the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as well as the judiciary, the Supreme Court in particular.

“After almost 20 years the PNP and the PDEA, under the leadership of Director General Wilkins Villanueva, were able to finally produce a coordination protocol to prevent misencounters and ensure proper coordination and cooperation in the conduct of the aggressive campaign against illegal drugs,” he said.

“Our coordination with the DOJ led to the creation of the Joint PNP-NBI Investigation Panel in order to finally address all the allegations that have been thrown at us in the past five years in the interest of truth dahil marami din sa ating hanay ang nagbuwis ng buhay at nasugatan sa kampanya kontra ilegal na droga,” he pointed out.

Eleazar said that the PNP needed to confront and address findings of a handful of policemen who committed abuses in the war on drugs and must be held culpable for their actions.

“Mas mabuti na harapin na namin ito ngayon para sa kapakanan ng mas nakararaming bilang ng mga pulis, at para sa kapakanan ng buong organisasyon. This is a bitter pill to swallow but decisions have to be made because what is at stake here is the integrity and the dignity of the Philippine National Police in the pursuit of its mandate of serving and protecting the Filipino people,” he explained.

Eleazar’s ICP was responsible for bringing about change in how policemen see themselves and how they interact with the community – humble, humane, compassionate and true to their mandate.

“Sa ating paglilinis sa ating hanay, naging normal na ngayon ang mabilis na aksyon laban sa mga pulis na abusado at lumalabag sa ating sinumpaang tungkulin bilang mga lingkod bayan. Subalit kung gaano tayo kabilis disiplinahin ang mga nagkakamali ay ganoon rin tayo kabilis na purihin ang mga gumagawa ng tama at nagsisilbi ng tapat at may malasakit,” he said.

“Napakalaki na ang naipundar nating hirap at sakripisyo sa nakalipas na anim na buwan na nagbunga naman sa lubusang pagtitiwala ng ating mga kababayan sa kanilang kapulisan sa pamamagitan ng maayos, mabilis at matapat na paglilingkod sa bayan,” he added.

He also has nothing but good words for Carlos who served as his Chief Directorial Staff since last May.

“As I retire today, I am confident that PLtGen Dionardo B. Carlos will be able to continue the legacies of all the past PNP Chiefs to improve our services to the people, to continue making our kababayan feel safer, and to continue convincing the Filipino people that we are their big brothers when it comes to their safety and security,” he said.

“I will leave with a peace of mind knowing that my successor is worthy of becoming the 27th Chief of the Philippine National Police and knowing that the entire organization will rally behind his leadership,” he added.

Eleazar thanked President Duterte and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año for believing in his capability to lead the PNP.

“To the men and women of the Philippine National Police, maraming salamat sa inyong pagtitiwala at pakikiisa. Please keep the torch of our reform and transformation programs burning in order to continuously remind the Filipino people of what Service, Honor and Justice mean and what Police Service really is,” he said.