GEN. Guillermo Lorenzo “Guilor” T. Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), retires from the government on November 13, when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.

An acknowledged “darling” of the country’s working newspaper and broadcast journalists, the hard-hitting but fair Eleazar assumed the premier PNP post last May 7.

But it is heartening to know that despite his fast approaching retirement, Eleazar has not shown any sign of slowing down the tempo of his campaign to rid the agency of rotten eggs.

In the eyes of the Filipino people, particularly the ordinary citizens across the country, there is no slackening of operations against scalawags in police uniform and other criminals.

Eleazar is hated by criminals but well-loved and idolized by law-abiding citizens from the rich and mighty to the poor and lowly, who comprise the bulk of the Philippine population.

Although he was PNP chief for just seven months, the soft-spoken but highly-effective general from Tagcauayan, Quezon is seen to bring the PNP closer to the people before his retirement.

And one way of bringing the men and women in uniform closer to the people is to hit hard at unscrupulous policemen.

In fact, the strict but fair Eleazar has ordered the filing of administrative charges against two policemen who were nabbed during an anti-illegal gambling operation in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

Eleazar identified the two policemen as Corporal Linwell Salvana and Staff Sergeant John Declem, who were arrested during an illegal cockfighting game in Barangay Dahican in Mati City.

With Eleazar at the helm of the PNP, which is civilian in nature but national in scope, police officers and men involved in criminal activities, like illegal games, “are in big trouble.”

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