Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the reshuffling of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in an effort to reinvigorate the government's drive against criminality, particularly its anti-kidnapping operations.

Arroyo yesterday also sacked the chief of the powerful national police intelligence unit following a string of blunders by his group including the mistaken ambush of three innocent civilians last May.
The transfer of Philippine National Police (PNP) Intelligence Group Commander Superintendent Reynaldo Berroya to the post of head of police operations in the Central Luzon region was signed yesterday by Arroyo along with the reassignment of several other key PNP officials.

The PNP reshuffling has been recommended by Interior Secretary Jose Lina and Police Director General Leandro Mendoza amid strong criticisms that the police hierarchy is incapable of curbing the rising criminality in the capital and allegations that top police officials in the provinces engaged wantonly in corruption.

Arroyo's spokesman Rigoberto Tiglao, said the reassignments in the police are meant to "reinvigorate the main crime-fighting organisation". Interior Secretary Lina earlier warned provincial police directors that they face being purged from the ranks of the PNP if they failed to solve the worsening drug problem and illegal gambling operations in their areas of responsibility.

Other officials who were reassigned included Supt Robert Delfin, commander of the Bicol Region PNP. He replaced Berroya as chief of PNP intelligence. Chief Supt Enrique Galang who is currently Central Luzon commander, will take Delfin's position in Bicol.

Romeo Pena, PNP Deputy Director for the National Capital Regional Office, will exchange posts with Deputy Chief of Operations Edgar Galvante. Tiglao said further changes in the PNP hierarchy would be announced later.

Similarly, Arroyo has ordered all law-enforcement agencies to intensify operations against kidnapping and bank robbery gangs. Tiglao, quoting the President, said "kidnapping has cost the country dearly in terms of our image." "She emphasises annihilating kidnapping gangs is as important as wiping out the Abu Sayyaf," Tiglao said.