THE Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) will have a new director following the death of a cadet due to physical abuse.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar said he already approved the designation of Police Major General Alex Sampaga as the new PNPA Director effective September 29. He said the move is part of academic policies and aggressive reforms which he ordered for the academy.
Meanwhile, PMGen. Rhoderick Armamento, the former PNPA Director, will take over PMGen. Sampaga’s current post, which is chief of the Directorate for Information and Communications Technology Management (DICTM).
Eleazar mentioned that he expects PMGen Sampaga, a PNPA alumnus, to introduce new ideas and other innovative polices to help the institution improve further and for cadets to live the PNP’s core values: Justice, Integrity, and Service.
PGen. Eleazar also visited Cadet 3rd Class George Carl Magsayo’s wake and was able to talk with Magsayo’s mother. She said it was the young Magsayo’s childhood dream to become a police officer and narrated how Magsayo got close to his dream when he entered the academy.
The Chief PNP expressed his dismay over the sudden death of the cadet, whom his mother said considered the PNPA as his second home and trusted for protection, learning, and development of his skills to be a policer officer someday.
He added this latest incident was not part of the PNP’s goal and vision over the years that the institution fought for to gain total supervision of the academy. PGen. Eleazar emphasized that inflicting physical pain has never been part of the institution’s code of discipline and that unnecessary physical punishment should stop.
Cadet 2nd Class Steven Ceasar Maingat, meanwhile, will be charged with a criminal case, which will be totally separate from the administrative case, which will also be filed against Maingat and can be the basis of his dismissal from the PNPA.
Eleazar warns the PNPA cadets that the PNP will never tolerate any misbehavior and violation related to discipline and moral values.
“To the PNPA cadets, the Filipino people expect so much from you as their scholars and future protectors. Do not fail them again,” PGen Eleazar said.
(PHOTO CREDIT: pnpa.edu.ph)