Makabayan lawmakers swiftly assailed the appointment of National Capital Region Police Office chief Police Major Gen. Debold Sinas as chief of the Philippine National Police, saying that the controversial police general’s human rights record makes him unfit for the position.

Makabayan solons who called Sinas the “mananita” general said with his appointment, it has become clear that “notoriety and loyalty to the President,” not competence and integrity, have become the qualifying standards to become a presidential appointee.

Assistant Minority Leader and ACT Teachers partylist Rep. France Castro, together with Reps. Ferdinand Gaite (Bayan Muna); Ofelia Cullamat (Bayan Muna), and Arlene Brosas (Gabriela partylist), released separate press statements shortly after Malacanang announced Sinas as the next PNP chief.

“The engineer of the massacres and the countless killings in Negros now serving as the new chief PNP, we can only expect that he will continue serving the tyrannical rule of the Duterte administration instead of protecting the rights and safety of the Filipino people,” said Castro.

Gaite recalled Sinas’ stint as head of the PNP in Western Visayas was tainted with “numerous extrajudicial killings and illegal arrests.”

“Of course, he is also well-known for breaking numerous quarantine protocols just to have a mañanita for his birthday," said the progressive solon.

"As things stand, young police and Army officers would cozy it up with politicians so that they can also get juicy positions after some time. This glaring example of patronage politics imposes upon them that merit and competence has little or nothing to do with securing positions, what matters is who you know and not what you know," Gaite stated.

Cullamat noted that Sinas is known more for ignoring government-imposed health protocols than any major accomplishment as a PNP commander.

“Ang paglabag na ito sa batas ay pinalampas lamang ng administrasyon habang ang ibang mga quarantine violators ay nakakulong pa rin hanggang ngayon at pinagbabayad ng multa (Violation of the law was disregarded by the administration while other quarantine violators are being jailed until now and made to pay fines)," she said.

Brosas warned the public to expect “bigger mananita-style impunity” with Sinas at the helm of the country’s police force.

“Sinas is also the mastermind of the illegal arrest and trumped-up charges against human rights defenders Reina Mae Nasino and Cora Agovida upon his deployment to NCRPO from Central Visayas,” said Brosas.

She added: “The appointment of Sinas as head of the PNP is no surprise, as President Duterte has a knack for rewarding loyal, blood-thirsty police and military officials.”

According to Brosas, the appointment of Sinas also signals intensified “red-tagging schemes” against legitimate dissenters and critics of the government.