Manila cops get another OIC in two days' time

After the bloody hostage tragedy in Manila last Monday, the Manila Police District has undergone two leadership changes in a matter of two days. Metro Manila police chief Director Leocadio Santiago Jr. also hinted Chief Superintendent Roberto Rongavilla, the second OIC since Monday's incident, may not be the last. "OIC pa lang ito, di pa ito ang final. Tulad ng pagkakatalaga ni Senior Superintendent Villaroman, OIC din siya. Ngayon ay hindi ibig sabihin ang OIC, siya na ang permanente (He's just an OIC. He will not necessarily be the permanent head of the MPD. Just like Senior Superintendent Villaroman, Rongavilla is just an OIC and will not necessarily be a permanent replacement)," he said in an interview on dzXL radio. Rongavilla, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1979, heads a task force looking into the alleged torture of a suspected thief in an MPD precinct in Tondo. He replaced Senior Superintendent Francisco Villaroman, who was named MPD OIC after MPD head Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay went on leave Wednesday. Magtibay was the ground commander in Monday's hostage crisis where at least eight tourists from Hong Kong died along with hostage taker dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza. Meanwhile, a report by dzBB's Carlo Mateo Friday said the leadership changes had left some MPD men demoralized. The Manila's Finest Brotherhood Association urged the Philippine National Police leadership and the Manila city government to provide them with firearms, and support to the Special Weapons and Tactics unit. As the new OIC, Rongavilla called police officials to a meeting on Friday at the Rizal Hall in MPD headquarters, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported. The report said Rongavilla asked MPD personnel for their full support in raising the city police's image after the hostage fiasco and alleged torture incident. He then proceeded to City Hall to make a courtesy call on Mayor Alfredo Lim. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV