NEWLY-RETIRED Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Sunday officially took his oath as a member of the Partido Reporma and will gun for a Senate seat in the May 2022 national elections.

It was Partido Reporma standard bearer and former PNP chief, Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson who convinced Eleazar to run for senator during a meeting when the latter explained one of the issues that rocked the PNP weeks before Eleazar’s retirement.

It was during their meeting that Eleazar sought the guidance of Lacson who is also seeking the presidency in May next year.

Sen. Lacson also dared Eleazar if he could replicate what he did to the PNP wherein the former PNP chief was able to restore the trust and confidence of the Filipino people to the police through quick, reliable and honest police service.

“Today, I accept the challenge to replicate the brand of public service that we have shown in the Philippine National Police in the past six months, I accept the challenge to work for the vision of genuine reform and transformation for the Filipino people, and I accept the challenge to run for senator of the Republic of the Philippines,” said Eleazar during the Partido Reporma’s activity in Pampanga where he was introduced as a senatorial candidate of the party.

Eleazar was sworn in by Lacson. Present during the activity were vice presidential aspirant Sen. Vicente Sotto III, and the party’s senatorial candidates Monsour del Rosario and Dr. Minguita Padilla.

During the activity in Pampanga, Sen. Lacson was all praises for Eleazar for the successful implementation of various programs and projects that led to the unprecedented jump in the trust and approval ratings of the PNP in just six months.

“Nagtagumpay siya as Chief, PNP. Alam niyo sa mga naging Chief PNP, ipuwera iyo yung sarili ko, pero palagay ko mas magaling pa nga sa akin eh,” said Lacson.

“Ngayon ko lang na-relealize na six months lang pala siya and in the six months period na nagsibili siya ang daming nangyari sa PNP. He is a performer,” he added.

Eleazar assumed the top PNP post last May 7 and immediately launched the Intensified Cleanliness Policy which is anchored on ensuring that all small problems in the PNP must be addressed immediately, with the end goal of winning back the trust and confidence of the Filipino people and the dignity and integrity of those in the police service amid intense criticisms on the force in the last five years.

He led by example and strengthened the disciplinary mechanisms in the PNP by immediately punishing the bad eggs while commending those who perform well and defend those who did their job well.

Eleazar also instituted various reform programs in the PNP that include the launching of the faceless and nameless QR code system in the recruitment to put an end to the ‘padrino system’ in the PNP which led to the appointment and designation of undeserving ones.

He also modernized the complaint referral system under the E-Sumbong wherein the oublic can now seek assistance and file complaint even through social media. He also initiated the Project E-ACCESS to give the netizens access to the accounts that were commonly and previously used by cybercriminals.

Eleazar is also known for his being a consensus-builder. Instead of starting territorial wars with the PDEA, he initiated talks that resulted in an agreement ending the turf war between the two anti-drug groups.

Eleazar also earned praises from the people and various groups that include even critics of the government for opening the documents on the drug war to the Department of Justice for review amid allegations of human rights abuses.

He also strengthened transparency and accountability in the conduct of police operations by facilitating the release of the body-worn cameras and coordinating with the Supreme Court to come up with the guidelines on how to use them by the police on the ground.

The retired member of Philippine Military Academy’ Hinirang’ Class of 1987 served as the chief of police of San Pedro City in Laguna wherein he was awarded as the best junior police officer by the PNP.

He earned his 1st star when he was the Quezon City Police District director and later went on to become the regional director of the Police Regional Office 4-A in Calabarzon Region and later the National Capital Region Police Office.

As PRO4-A director, he ensured the peaceful and credible conduct of the 2019 mid-term elections in the region. He later commanded the NCRPO which received its first ever Best Regional Police Office Award during his term.

The official also led the strict implementation of the health protocols for COVID-19 in the country as the Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander and concurrent PNP Deputy chief for Operations and later Administration.

A native of Tagkawayan, Quezon, he entered the Philippine Military Academy in 1983 after he was challenged by his father Victor, a World War II veteran, if he has what it takes to be in the uniformed service.

He graduated cum laude in 1987 and ranked number 4 among the graduates.