Archie Francisco Feranil Gamboa (; born September 2, 1964) is a
Filipino lawyer and retired police general who served as the 23rd
Chief of the Philippine National Police
The Chief of the Philippine National Police (abbreviated as C, PNP; Filipino: ) is the head of the Philippines' national police body, the Philippine National Police (PNP). The position is invariably held by a Ranks of the Philippine National Pol ...
from October 2019 to September 2020.
Gamboa was born and raised in
Bukidnon
Bukidnon (), officially the Province of Bukidnon (; ; ; Bukid language, Binukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindan ...
and graduated from the
Philippine Military Academy
The Philippine Military Academy ( / ) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). It was established on Decembe ...
in 1986. He served in the
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...
's
Scout Rangers in
Northern Mindanao
Northern Mindanao (; Maranao language, Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Mindanao''; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region X. It comprises five Provinces of the Philippines, provinces: Bukidnon, ...
before joining the police force in 1997 as the spokesperson of the
Davao Region
Davao Region, formerly called Southern Mindanao (; ), is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region XI. Situated at the southeastern portion of Mindanao, enclosing Davao Gulf, it comprises fiv ...
Police Office. He was the provincial police chief of Bukidnon from 2005 to 2007 and was later assigned to
Camp Crame
Camp General Rafael T. Crame () is the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) located along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Quezon City. It is situated across EDSA from Camp Aguinaldo, the national headquarters of ...
,
Caraga
Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga region) and designated as Region XIII, is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. Th ...
, and
Calabarzon
Calabarzon (officially stylized in all caps; ; ), sometimes referred to as Southern Tagalog () and designated as Region IVA, is an administrative region in the Philippines. It is situated southeast of Metro Manila and is bordered by Manila Bay ...
. While at Camp Crame, he studied law at
José Rizal University
José Rizal University (formerly José Rizal College or JRC), also referred to by its acronym JRU, is a private non-sectarian, non-stock coeducational basic and higher education institution located in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. ...
and passed the
bar exam
A bar examination is an examination administered by the bar association of a jurisdiction that a lawyer must pass in order to be admitted to the bar of that jurisdiction.
Australia
Administering bar exams is the responsibility of the bar associat ...
in 2004. In 2017, he became the Chief of the Directorial Staff, the PNP's fourth-highest position, and rose through the ranks, becoming the Deputy Chief for Administration in 2019—the second-highest position. After
Oscar Albayalde
Oscar David Albayalde (; born November 8, 1963) is a retired Filipino police officer who served as the Chief of the Philippine National Police from April 2018 until his optional retirement in October 2019.
Early life and education
Albayald ...
's resignation in October 2019 amidst the
ninja cops controversy, Gamboa was appointed
officer-in-charge (OIC) of the PNP.
In January 2020, President
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
officially appointed Gamboa as PNP Chief.
In that capacity, he oversaw the security of the
2019 Southeast Asian Games
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 30th Southeast Asian Games, or the 30th SEA Games, and commonly known as Philippines 2019, were the 30th edition of the SEA Games, Southeast Asian Games, a biennial regional multi-sport ...
and the implementation of
community quarantines early into the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.
Early life and education
Gamboa is a native of the province of
Bukidnon
Bukidnon (), officially the Province of Bukidnon (; ; ; Bukid language, Binukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindan ...
, having been born in
Malaybalay
Malaybalay City, officially the City of Malaybalay (Bukid language, Binukid: ''Bánuwa ta Malaybaláy''), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Bukidnon, ...
on September 2, 1964.
He completed his primary education at
Maramag
Maramag, officially the Municipality of Maramag (; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 108,293 people.
Hist ...
's central elementary school and for his secondary education, he attended and graduated from
Ateneo de Davao University
Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU; ) is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It is run by the Philippine Jesuit Province. Before the Jesuits took over administration of the schoo ...
located in
Davao City
Davao City, officially the City of Davao, is a City of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of , making it the List of Philippine cities and municipalities ...
.
In 1982, Gamboa enlisted as a cadet in the
Philippine Military Academy
The Philippine Military Academy ( / ) also referred to by its acronym PMA is the premier military academy for Filipinos aspiring for a commission as a military officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). It was established on Decembe ...
in
Baguio
Baguio ( , , ), officially the City of Baguio (; ; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
and graduated as a member of the
''Sinagtala'' Class of 1986, the same batch as the two PNP Chiefs that preceded him:
Ronald dela Rosa
Ronald Marapon dela Rosa (born January 21, 1962), known by his nickname Bato, is a Filipino politician and retired police officer who is currently serving as a Senator since 2019. He served under the Duterte administration as the chief of t ...
and
Oscar Albayalde
Oscar David Albayalde (; born November 8, 1963) is a retired Filipino police officer who served as the Chief of the Philippine National Police from April 2018 until his optional retirement in October 2019.
Early life and education
Albayald ...
, as well as his successor, Camilo Cascolan. His contemporary
AFP Chiefs,
Felimon Santos Jr. and
Gilbert Gapay, were also his batchmates.
Gamboa later attained a
Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...
from
Father Saturnino Urios University
Father Saturnino Urios University (; ), also referred to by its acronym FSUU, is a private Roman Catholic coeducational basic and higher education institution run by the Diocese of Butuan in Butuan, Philippines. It offers preschool, elementary ...
in
Butuan
Butuan (pronounced ), officially the City of Butuan (; Butuanon: ''Dakbayan hong Butuan''; ), is a highly urbanized city and the regional center of Caraga, Philippines. It is the '' de facto'' capital of the province of Agusan del Norte ...
in 1995.
He then pursued law school at
Ateneo de Davao University
Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU; ) is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines. It is run by the Philippine Jesuit Province. Before the Jesuits took over administration of the schoo ...
in 1998 during his stint as spokesman for the Davao Region Police Office in Davao City. After being assigned with the PNP
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is the primary investigation arm of the Philippine National Police.
History
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was established as the Criminal Information Service whose origin tra ...
in
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
in 2002, Gamboa transferred to
José Rizal University
José Rizal University (formerly José Rizal College or JRC), also referred to by its acronym JRU, is a private non-sectarian, non-stock coeducational basic and higher education institution located in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. ...
where he completed his
Bachelor of Laws
A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...
in 2004 and was admitted to the
Philippine Bar in May 2005.
Career
Gamboa began his military and policing career as a member of the
1st Scout Ranger Regiment
The Scout Rangers, known officially as the First Scout Ranger Regiment, is a special operations forces of the Philippine Army (PA) that is specialized in combat patrols and scouting behind enemy lines in a special operations forces (SOF) style. ...
of the
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army (PA) () is the main, oldest and largest branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), responsible for ground warfare. , it had an estimated strength of 143,100 soldiers The service branch was established on December ...
deployed to
Talakag, Bukidnon
Talakag, officially the Municipality of Talakag ( Bukid and Higaonon: ''Banuwa ta Talakag''; ; ), is a municipality in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 77,027 people.
It is located on ...
to suppress the local
communist rebellion in the area. He received a
military merit medal and
military commendation medal
The Military Commendation Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is presented for exemplary execution of military duty.
Description
The medal is a three-pointed star, made of bronze color ...
for this assignment.
He then spent several years as a battalion command staff member in
Northern Mindanao
Northern Mindanao (; Maranao language, Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Mindanao''; ) is an Regions of the Philippines, administrative region in the Philippines, designated as Region X. It comprises five Provinces of the Philippines, provinces: Bukidnon, ...
before officially joining the national police force as a spokesperson for the Davao Region Police Office based in Camp Panacan, Davao City in 1997. After four years, Gamboa transferred to the
national headquarters of the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
as a duty officer of the
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is the primary investigation arm of the Philippine National Police.
History
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group was established as the Criminal Information Service whose origin tra ...
. He spent two years in
Camp Crame
Camp General Rafael T. Crame () is the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) located along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Quezon City. It is situated across EDSA from Camp Aguinaldo, the national headquarters of ...
before returning to
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...
to serve as provincial police chief in his native
Bukidnon
Bukidnon (), officially the Province of Bukidnon (; ; ; Bukid language, Binukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindan ...
in 2005.
As chief of the Bukidnon Provincial Police Office based in
Malaybalay
Malaybalay City, officially the City of Malaybalay (Bukid language, Binukid: ''Bánuwa ta Malaybaláy''), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Bukidnon, ...
, Gamboa initiated programs to significantly reduce crime and stifle the communist insurgency in the province.
He was again reassigned in Camp Crame as chief of the Legislative Affairs Center under the PNP Directorate for Plans in 2007 and as chief of the Logistics Resource Management Division under the PNP Directorate for Logistics until 2008. Gamboa then served briefly as chief of the Regional Comptrollership Division of the Caraga Regional Police Office in
Butuan
Butuan (pronounced ), officially the City of Butuan (; Butuanon: ''Dakbayan hong Butuan''; ), is a highly urbanized city and the regional center of Caraga, Philippines. It is the '' de facto'' capital of the province of Agusan del Norte ...
until 2009.
Gamboa's other early leadership positions with the national police include serving as chief of the Budget Division of the PNP Directorate for Comptrollership in 2012 and sitting as chief of the Bids and Awards Committee Secretariat Division of the PNP Directorate for Logistics in 2013.
Between 2013 and 2015, Gamboa was assigned with the Calabarzon Region Police Office in
Calamba, Laguna
Calamba, officially the City of Calamba (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Laguna (province), Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popu ...
as regional chief of the Calabarzon PNP Directorial Staff and then as the regional police's Deputy Chief for Operations. As a Calabarzon PNP executive, he initiated measures to achieve a zero backlog in administrative cases of erring personnel using his lawyer skills and experience.
Gamboa earned his
one-star rank
Military star ranking is military terminology, used in mainly English speaking countries, to describe general and flag officers. Within NATO's armed forces, the stars are equal to OF-6–10.
Star ranking
One-star
A one-star rank is usually ...
while serving as Executive Officer of the PNP Directorate for Logistics in 2015.
Gamboa then served as deputy director for the logistics directorate before taking on the role of Director for Comptrollership in 2016. As comptrollership chief, he was frequently seen representing the Philippine National Police in budget hearings in the
Philippine Senate
The Senate of the Philippines () is the upper house of Congress, the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, with the House of Representatives as the lower house. The Senate is composed of 24 senators who are elected at-large (the country f ...
and
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
.
He was also credited for reinstating the combat duty pay and combat incentive pay for PNP personnel and the specialist pay for the
Internal Affairs Service and the
Maritime Group as comptrollership director.
He earned his
three-star rank
Military star ranking is military terminology, used in mainly English speaking countries, to describe general and flag officers. Within NATO's armed forces, the stars are equal to OF-6–10.
Star ranking
One-star
A one-star rank is usual ...
in March 2017 when he was appointed as Chief of the Directorial Staff, the fourth-highest position within the Philippine National Police.
In September 2018, Gamboa became the third-highest ranking PNP official when he was promoted as Deputy Chief for Operations.
As deputy chief, he served as task force commander for the
2019 Philippine general election
The 2019 Philippine general election was conducted on May 13, 2019. A midterm election, those elected therein took office on June 30, 2019, midway through the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The following positions were contested:
*12 seat ...
who also oversaw the security preparations and implementation of the
2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite
The 2019 Bangsamoro autonomy plebiscite was a two-part plebiscite held in Mindanao, Philippines, that ratified the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in ...
.
He also helped with the internal cleansing drive of the national police by implementing preventive, punitive and restorative measures within the organization amid criticisms of the
Philippine Drug War
The Philippine drug war, also referred to as the Philippine war on drugs, is the intensified drug policy, anti-drug campaign initiated during Duterte administration, the administration of Rodrigo Duterte, who served as President of the Philipp ...
.
He was again promoted as Deputy Chief for Administration in October 2019 and became PNP's second-in-command.
Chief of the Philippine National Police
Following
Oscar Albayalde
Oscar David Albayalde (; born November 8, 1963) is a retired Filipino police officer who served as the Chief of the Philippine National Police from April 2018 until his optional retirement in October 2019.
Early life and education
Albayald ...
's resignation on October 14, 2019 amid the
ninja cops controversy, Gamboa was appointed by
Interior Secretary
The United States secretary of the interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. The secretary and the Department of the Interior are responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land along with natur ...
Eduardo Año
Eduardo Manahan Año (; born October 26, 1961) is a Filipino public official and retired general of the Philippine Army who currently serves as the National Security Adviser under the administration of President Bongbong Marcos since 2023. ...
to serve as
officer-in-charge of the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
, being the second-highest officer in the organization.
While the position of PNP Chief remained vacant for months after Albayalde's resignation, President
Rodrigo Duterte
Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945) is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the first Philippine president from Mindanao, and is the oldest person to assum ...
had tasked Secretary
Año to supervise, lead, fix and purge the scandal-ridden national police while Gamboa stays as
officer-in-charge.
On January 17, 2020, Duterte officially announced his appointment of Lieutenant General Gamboa as PNP Chief.

As then-
Officer-in-Charge of the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
, he was responsible for the overall police preparations during the
2019 Southeast Asian Games
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 30th Southeast Asian Games, or the 30th SEA Games, and commonly known as Philippines 2019, were the 30th edition of the SEA Games, Southeast Asian Games, a biennial regional multi-sport ...
.
On March 5, a
Bell 429
The Bell 429 GlobalRanger is a light, twin-engine helicopter developed by Bell Helicopter and Korea Aerospace Industries. The first flight of the prototype took place on February 27, 2007,[San Pedro, Laguna
San Pedro, officially the City of San Pedro (), is a component city in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 326,001 people.
It is named after its patron saint, Saint Peter.
San Pedro ha ...]
. Gamboa was conscious when he was pulled out from the wreckage; he suffered injuries on his shoulder and right hand and was brought to
St. Luke's Medical Center
St. Luke's Medical Center (SLMC) is a private non-profit health care institution based in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines which operates two hospitals of the same name in Quezon City and Taguig.
The first health facility of the St. L ...
in
Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig (), is the List of cities in the Philippines, fifth-most populous city in the Philippines situated on the eastern shores of Metro Manila, the national capital region. It is a center for culture, finance ...
. However, two police generals who accompanied Gamboa were in critical condition after the crash, while the others had minor injuries. Gamboa and his entourage had just finished inspecting a facility for impounded vehicles in San Pedro and were on their way to Camp Vicente Lim in nearby
Calamba when the crash occurred. LGen
Camilo Cascolan
Camilo Pancratius Pascua Cascolan (November 10, 1964 – November 24, 2023) was a Filipino police general who served as the 24th Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from September to November 2020 under President Rodrigo Duterte. After ...
, the Deputy Chief for Administration, was the officer-in-charge of the PNP while Gamboa recovered from his injuries. On March 9, Gamboa reported back to work wearing a
sling
Sling may refer to:
Places
*Sling, Anglesey, Wales
* Sling, Gloucestershire, England, a small village in the Forest of Dean
People with the name
* Otto Šling (1912–1952), repressed Czech communist functionary
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ...
on his right arm.
On March 16, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
,
Luzon
Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...
and its associated islands were
placed under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) by President Duterte, while a
state of public health emergency was earlier declared for the whole country. To enforce the ECQ, the PNP had set up checkpoints to limit non-essential movement and travel. On March 17, Gamboa announced that people on non-essential travel will be arrested if they insist on passing through the checkpoints. He also acknowledged the shortage of
personal protective equipment
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection. The hazards addressed by protective equipment include physical, elect ...
(PPEs) for the police officers manning the checkpoints. On March 31, Gamboa announced that the nationwide crime rate was reduced by 56% which he attributed to the implementation of the ECQ.
Gamboa tested negative for COVID-19 on April 1, after possible exposure to the disease, as Interior Secretary
Eduardo Año
Eduardo Manahan Año (; born October 26, 1961) is a Filipino public official and retired general of the Philippine Army who currently serves as the National Security Adviser under the administration of President Bongbong Marcos since 2023. ...
tested positive the previous day. Despite having no recent meeting with Año, Gamboa underwent a 14-day quarantine and did not show any symptoms of the disease.
On April 21, Gamboa announced that those who will violate the ECQ in Luzon will not be warned anymore—instead, they would be immediately arrested and undergo inquest proceedings, citing the
Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. Explaining the change in policy, Gamboa said: "We need to do this because we also want to mitigate the continued risks faced by frontline PNP personnel who are exposed to increasing number of people and motorists violating the ECQ at checkpoints." At that time, at least 55 PNP personnel have tested positive for COVID-19, while 136,517 people were recorded to have violated the ECQ (of which 31,363 have been arrested, 6,168 fined, and 98,986 were issued warnings). Two days later, he reconsidered his statement saying that more arrests will congest the prisons, some of which already have cases of COVID-19. He said that violators can be required to do community service or fined instead of being detained, explaining that the violators must be punished "to a certain degree" so they would understand the seriousness of the situation.
On April 21,
Winston Ragos, a retired soldier with
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops from experiencing a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, warfare and its associated traumas, natural disaster, traffic collision, ...
, was fatally shot by PMSg Daniel Florendo Jr. at a checkpoint in
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
. Ragos, who was scolded for violating the ECQ, allegedly attempted to pull out a gun after a heated argument with the police officers. The incident was filmed by a CCTV and phone camera and the footage went
viral
The word ''Viral'' means "relating to viruses" (small infectious agents).
It may also refer to:
Viral behavior, or virality
Memetic behavior likened that of a virus, for example:
* Viral marketing, the use of existing social networks to spre ...
online.
In an interview on
CNN Philippines
CNN Philippines (abbreviated sometimes as CNN PH) was a Philippine free-to-air television network owned and operated by Nine Media Corporation, together with Radio Philippines Network (RPN), under a license from Warner Bros. Discovery Asia-Pa ...
' ''The Source'', Gamboa reacted to the incident: "According to the report,
agos
''Agos'' (in Armenian: Ակօս, " furrow") is a bilingual weekly newspaper published in Istanbul, Turkey, established on 25 February 1996 by Hrant Dink, Luiz Bakar, Harutyun Şeşetyan, and Anna Turay.
''Agos'' has both Armenian and Turki ...
tried to draw his firearm. That's why it resorted to the decision, which was really a judgment call on the part of Florendo on what to do at that very moment". Gamboa also added that the police officers had "no way of knowing" Ragos' mental illness.
In a separate interview with
ANC, Gamboa explained: "When you are confronted with a person armed with a pistol, its equivalent is also a pistol. When we are confronted with an armed aggressor or a suspect—because a lot of policemen have already died—actually my instruction is really don't let the other person go first."
Nonetheless, Gamboa assured that an investigation is underway, and that the PNP is in communication with the
Commission on Human Rights
A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights.
The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
, adding: "We have to know all the facts. We sympathize with the family of Ragos, but please give the PNP the trust that we will investigate this case thoroughly."
On April 24, Master Sergeant Florendo was charged for homicide.
On April 26, a police officer and a foreigner were involved in a scuffle in
Dasmariñas Village
Dasmariñas (), officially the City of Dasmariñas (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Cavite, Philippines. With a land area of and a population of 703,141 ...
,
Makati
Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...
after the officer attempted to arrest the foreigner for allegedly violating the quarantine rules. Spanish expatriate Javier Parra claimed that Senior Master Sergeant Roland Von Madrona wanted to fine him for allowing his housemaid to water plants outside without wearing a face mask—a supposed violation of ECQ guidelines. Madrona and Parra had a heated argument, with Madrona later tackling Parra to the ground in an attempt to arrest him. The incident was filmed by Parra's wife, while Parra eventually escaped into his house (he later revealed he had a pre-existing spinal injury). The police denied Parra's accusations, with a separate video showing Madrona attempting to speak calmly with Parra, who yelled expletives and ordered the police to leave. Madrona's superior also denied that the officer attempted to fine Parra's housemaid, but rather he was going to issue her a ticket violation.
The following day, General Gamboa ordered the
National Capital Region Police Office
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is a regional unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that has jurisdiction over Metro Manila, also known as the National Capital Region. It is headquartered in Camp Bagong Diwa.
History
...
(NCRPO) to investigate the incident.
Reacting to the aforementioned incident, Gamboa defended the actions of PSMS Madrona, saying: "You saw how big the foreigner is compared to the policeman … based on the video, it is very clear that enough force was applied."
Gamboa later visited Madrona in Makati to personally thank him: "We're behind you. You showed the Filipino people that policemen are not partial; we are impartial.
e're hereto show them that what Madrona did was right, and I hope this message gets across to everybody."
On May 1, Gamboa announced that the PNP is open to investigations regarding alleged human rights violations committed by officers enforcing the ECQ.
On May 12, photos of NCRPO chief
Debold Sinas
Debold Menorias Sinas (born May 8, 1965) is a Filipino retired police general who served as Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from November 2020 to May 2021. During his tenure, he oversaw the COVID-19 community quarantines in the ...
celebrating his birthday on May 8 went viral and drew flak online for allegedly violating the ECQ ban on mass gatherings and liquor. The photos were uploaded by the NCRPO's official
Facebook
Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
account and were later removed.
Gamboa defended Sinas, saying: "No party took place", explaining that it was a ''mañanita'' (early morning birthday serenade) which is a tradition among PNP officials. Gamboa also added: "General Sinas said they observed social distancing. I don't think there's any violation here."
Gamboa was then accused of double standards in punishing ECQ violators.
On May 14, Gamboa announced that the PNP Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) will investigate Sinas and his guests. The next day, Sinas and 18 other officers were charged with violating the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act. However, on May 18, Gamboa announced that Sinas will not be dismissed or suspended, describing him as "hard to replace". Gamboa explained his decision: "I hope the public would understand because we're in an emergency situation", citing that Sinas is in charge of several COVID-related programs.
On May 20, President Duterte also announced that Sinas will not be dismissed or transferred.
Key Positions
* Provincial Director, Bukidnon Police Provincial Office
* Deputy Chief for Administration, Police Regional Office 11
* Regional Director, Police Regional Office 4A CALABARZON
* Director, PNP Directorate for Logistics
* Director, PNP Directorate for Comptrollership
* Chief of Directorial Staff
* Deputy Chief PNP for Operations
* Deputy Chief PNP for Administration
** Officer-in-Charge, PNP (concurrent capacity)
* Chief, PNP
Awards
Gamboa received more than 100 medals and citations throughout his military and law enforcement career,
including:
*
Military Merit Medal
*
Military Commendation Medal
The Military Commendation Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is presented for exemplary execution of military duty.
Description
The medal is a three-pointed star, made of bronze color ...
*

Medalya ng Katangitanging Gawa (PNP Outstanding Achievement Medal)
*

Medalya ng Katapatan sa Paglilingkod (PNP Distinguished Service Medal)
* PMA Alumnus Award
Footnotes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gamboa, Archie
1964 births
Filipino police chiefs
Living people
Philippine Military Academy alumni
People from Bukidnon
Duterte administration personnel
Ateneo de Davao University alumni
José Rizal University alumni
People of the Philippine drug war
Recipients of the Military Merit Medal (Philippines)
Recipients of the Military Commendation Medal
Philippine Constabulary personnel