“Interestingly for a senior cop with apparently little time on his hands, Garbo is also trailing innumerable Twitter accounts that belong to inhabitants of the entertainment and sports world here and overseas. Among them are Victoria’s Secret, Rhian Ramos, Phil Younghusband. LeBron James, Oprah Winfrey, Disney World, Jennifer Lopez, Emma Watson, Avril Lavigne, Gary Valenciano, Taylor Swift, NBA, Jodi Sta Maria, Yeng Constantino, Georgina Wilson, Valerie Concepcion, KC Concepcion, Luis Manzano, Camille Pratts, Bianca Gonzales, Sunshine Cruz, Mylene Dizon, Iza Calzado, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Daniel Padilla, Megan Young, Solenn Heusaff, Isabelle Daza, Andie Eigenmann, Rachelle Ann Go, Sam Pinto, Richard Gutierrez, Angel Locsin, Rocco Nacino, Anne Curtis-Smith, Bianca King, Sarah Lahbati, Alden Richards, LJ Reyes, Lovi Poe. Ryza Cenon, Isabel Oli, Michelle Madrigal, Sheena Halili, and Bea Binene.”
By Malou Mangahas
TOP COPS, teeny tweeps?
Yes, the most senior officials of the Philippine National Police have joined the ranks of newbies on Twitterlandia.
Welcome three Twitter teens from the PNP top brass: Benjamin Magalong, Marcelo Garbo and Alan L. Purisima.
Purisima is the suspended PNP general who recently resigned from his director general post. Magalong and Garbo are among the top contenders to succeed him.
Of the three, Magalong seems to be the most shy in Twitter. Purisima and Garbo in comparison have racked up quite intriguing Twitter trails. One of them has even revealed a keen interest in showbiz and sports.
(Two other officials reported to be in the running to be top cop, Raul Petrasanta and Ricardo Marquez, do not seem to have Twitter accounts.)
Benjamin Magalong, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and chair of the PNP Board of Inquiry on the Mamasapano incident:
SCREENGRAB from @benjiemagalong Twitter page
@benjiemagalong posted his first tweet, “Testy tweet @CIDG_PIO” on May 11, 2014. He has since pushed 55 more, but it has been months since his latest, which was on Oct. 7, 2014.
Magalong’s Twitter handle features only six photos and video mostly about his visits or meetings with CIDG field units, while one showed him with former senator Panfilo M. Lacson.
He has 1,308 followers and follows 125 tweeps, including 17 who he has tagged as his favorites. Among these are the Twitter handles of Purisima, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, President Benigno S. Aquino III, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Official Gazette PH, Deped, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), various PNP and CIDG units, and major media agencies.
Alan L. Purisima, former director general of the PNP:
SCREENGRAB from @AlanLPurisima Twitter page
@AlanLPurisima describes himself as “The Chief, Philippine National Police” on Twitter. He is also on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/ala.purisima.
Purisima has pushed 270 tweets, has 16,500 followers, follows 41 tweeps, and has tagged 21 accounts among his “favorites.” He has posted 48 photos and videos.
Purisima had his Twitter debut on July 18, 2013 with this message: “Serbisyong Makatotohanan Para sa Bayan.”
He followed that same day with a second one: “Follow me at @AlanLPurisima”
His latest tweet moved on Dec. 9, 2014 stating, “Press Statement: DILG Implementation of Preventive Suspension Order against PNP Chief Purisima is Illegal. full text here http://bit.ly/1yylNwM ” He uploaded the file on Scribd.
Amid news reports about his allegedly unexplained wealth, Purisima used his Twitter page to air his side between September and December 2014:
* “Hinding hindi po ako papayag na manalo ang katiwalian. Ipagpapatuloy ko ang paglilingkod sa bayan at sa pagsira ng walang kabuluhang gawain”
* “…at dumudungis sa pangalan at reputasyon ng kapulisan. Kaya naman po hindi na tayo nagulat na sadya tayong sinisiraan…
* “Patuloy din ang pag-imbestiga sa tinatawag nating ‘scalawag’ sa serbisyo. Hindi natin kinukunsinti ang kanilang mga gawaing nakakasira…
* “Hindi po natin palalagpasin ang mga gawaing ganito. Ipararamdam natin sa kanila (kampon ng kasamaan) ang bigat ng kanilang mga ginawa.
* “Hindi rin natin sasantuhin ang ating kabaro na tumiwalag sa tungkulin at pinili na maging kampon ng kasamaan…hindi po natin palalagpasin
* “Mga kababayan, tandaan po natin na kapag tinatama natin ang anumang kamalian, papalag ang mga nakikinabang sa lumang kalakaran”
* “Smear campaign meant to block reforms at PNP” http://bit.ly/1ozl2iY
* “Kung may alam po kayong iba pang katiwalian sa inyong PNP, isumbong nyo po sa akin. Patutunayan ko sa inyo na hindi ako puro salita lamang.”
* “At makakaasa ang ating mga kababayan na hindi natin palulusutin ang ganitong mga kontrata kahit kailan..”
* “…pati pa rin ang mga (pekeng) permit to carry outside of reaidence. Ipinatigil ko na rin ito. Hindi natin palulusutin ang ganito…”
* “May sindikato din na yumayaman dahil sa kontratang di pabor sa gobyerno. Kaakibat nito ang paglalabas ng pekeng ID cards ng security guards”
* “Kung gusto ninyong magkaroon ng baril sa legal na paraan, kailangan pong humarap sa Firearms & Explosives Division. May proseso po tayo.”
* “Hindi na uubra ang mga modus operandi nila. Yan ang pinatigil ko at patuloy kong babantayan, kahit sino pa ang tamaan.”
* “Hinding-hindi po ako papayag na magkaganoon (business as usual ng sindikato at may raket) Hindi na uubra ang mga modus operandi nila.”
The speeches and activities of President Aquino occupied significant space on Purisima’s Twitter accounts, as well as notes about better days Purisima had shared with Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II. For instance:
• “113th Police Service Anniversary with @noynoyaquino and @MARoxas”
• “Press conference with SILG @MARoxas regarding PNP’s Oplan Lambat to reduce crime incidence today at NHQ lobby”
A slew of self-promotion tweets came in, too:
• “Courtesy call of Mr. Lamont Siller, the new Legal Attache of the U.S. Embassy yesterday at Camp Crame”
• “Received the 4th Trailblazer Award for the PNP, towards a highly capable, effective&credible police force last Friday”
• “Proceeds of the 1st CPNP Alan L Purisima Shooting Cup donated to PSSA received by Gov. Teng Mangudadatu-Pres. PPSA”
• “Be part of the CHIEF PNP ALAN LM PURISIMA CUP: World Shoot XVII Qualifier Match IPSC-PPSA LEVEL III on Feb. 5-9, 2014″
As for his “favorites,” Purisima tagged the Twitter accounts of Sen. Grace Poe, President Aquino, Binay, Roxas, Presidential Spokesman Edward Lacierda and his deputy Abigail Valte, DOTC, Meralco, Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Education, various PNP units, and major print and broadcast media agencies.
Manuel Garbo, chief of PNP Directorial Staff:
SCREENGRAB from PNP-OTCDS Twitter page
@PNP_OTCDS is a hybrid official and personal account. Below the Twitter name PNP TCDS is this description: “OTCDS is home to the PNP’s #4 man, The Chief of the Directorial Staff, PDDG Marcelo Poyaoan Garbo Jr., NHQ-PNP, Camp Crame, QC.”
Garbo has logged 198 tweets, has 6,444 followers, and is following a huge number of 1,644 Twitter accounts. He has tagged 27 “favorite” tweeps, and has posted 132 photos and video.
Garbo’s most recent post was on Feb. 22, 2015 with a photo to boot: “Courtesy call of Mr International, PO2 Mariano Flormata aka Neil Perez to TCDS.”
A most prolific tweep, Garbo’s posts are a mix of official family, fun, friends, and leisure concerns. Among his tweets:
• “Sharing laughter with friends from the Cebu media”
• “Visit of Korean diver friends from Cebu”
• “DIPOs you will monitor the Tweets of RDs, PDs & CDs. Why? Frm this, you will know who is working & not working.”
• “Cascading CPNPs directive on the use of Twitter to DIPO Ex-Os, PIO, DPCR, PCRG & NOC.”
• “Turnover of 25 state-of-the-art portable radios frm Motorola Solutions Phils to the PNP.”
• “2014 BOSS IRONMAN CHALLENGE IX”
• “A visit by friends from the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry”
• “With Members of the Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.”
• “Let us maximize the use of twitter. This is a way to show that we are working.”
• “Selling twitter to focal persons of ISA.”
• “Whiteboard session. Commanders must also dedicate time to mentor his men, not only to teach but also to sync thoughts.”
• “Ceremonial tee-off of Mayor Aldong Parojinog Golf Tournament at Ozamis Ozamis City.”
• “The police should do more than just enforce the law, they should be forward thinkers and community movers to effectively prevent crimes.”
• “do you know that PNP PIPS has 3 components: Goal Setting, Submission of Detailed Security Plans, & Periodic Review & Assessment”
• “PATROL stands for “Peace and Order Agenda for Transformation and upholding of the Rule-Of- Law”
The first Twitter account Garbo followed was that of his former boss and classmate, Alan L. Purisima.
A MISHMASH of accounts. The Twitter pages being followed by the PNP-OTCDS and Dir. Marcelo Garbo
These days, Garbo is following 1,644 Twitter accounts. They make for a long, eclectic list that does not seem to belong to a star-rank toughie of the PNP.
The serious and the heavyweight include PNP, government, and Twitter handles of local and international media (among them ABS-CBN, GMA7, RTVM, Inquirer, Philippine Star, Candy magazine, Yes! Magazine, Preview, Gmanews Online, Bayan mo, Ipatrol mo, Rappler, as well as TV shows like “SONA,” “24Oras,” “Saksi,”, “Umagang Kayganda,” “Interaksyon,” and “Bandila,” and CNN, Reuters, Washington Post, and New York Times), as well as that of U.S. President Barack Obama and business tycoons Bill Gates and Manny V. Pangilinan.
He is also following SAF, Smart, Yahoo! Phils, Twitter Phils, Climate Change Commission, Philippine Army, Bongbong Marcos, , Cebu Pacific, Globe Telecom, Sony Phils, Caltex Phils, the Liberal Party, NAPC, Huawei Enteprise, DAR, Cheche Lazaro, Senate, DFASpokesman, PCGG, NUJP, Namfrel, Deutsche Bank. H&M Phils, SM cinema, Highway Patrol Group, UN development, various PNP units, PCSDPO, DOTC, PNP-PIO, among others.
Interestingly for a senior cop with apparently little time on his hands, Garbo is also trailing innumerable Twitter accounts that belong to inhabitants of the entertainment and sports world here and overseas. Among them are Victoria’s Secret, Rhian Ramos, Phil Younghusband. LeBron James, Oprah Winfrey, Disney World, Jennifer Lopez, Emma Watson, Avril Lavigne, Gary Valenciano, Taylor Swift, NBA, Jodi Sta Maria, Yeng Constantino, Georgina Wilson, Valerie Concepcion, KC Concepcion, Luis Manzano, Camille Pratts, Bianca Gonzales, Sunshine Cruz, Mylene Dizon, Iza Calzado, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Daniel Padilla, Megan Young, Solenn Heusaff, Isabelle Daza, Andie Eigenmann, Rachelle Ann Go, Sam Pinto, Richard Gutierrez, Angel Locsin, Rocco Nacino, Anne Curtis-Smith, Bianca King, Sarah Lahbati, Alden Richards, LJ Reyes, Lovi Poe. Ryza Cenon, Isabel Oli, Michelle Madrigal, Sheena Halili, and Bea Binene. – PCIJ, March 2015