Now, it’s a 5-way race for top PNP post

It is fast developing to be a five-way race for the top post in the Philippine National Police.

As he was promoted to three-star rank on Thursday, Deputy Director General Danilo Constantino, the PNP’s No. 4 man, disclosed that he was “interviewed” by President Benigno Aquino III last week in a casual meeting where PNP issues were discussed.

“It’s true that we were summoned by the President but we don’t know if it was really an interview because that was just a casual conversation,” the police official said on Thursday.

Constantino, the chief of the PNP directorial staff, was invited to Malacañang with his classmate, Director Ricardo Marquez of the Directorate for Operations. Both are members of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1982.

Aside from Marquez and Constantino, other police generals being rumored to be contenders for the post of PNP chief are: Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo, the deputy chief for operations; Director Benjamin Magalong, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; and Chief Supt. Raul Petrasanta, suspended police regional director of Central Luzon.

Earlier, Mr. Aquino said he has been talking with top police officials who are probable replacements for Director General Alan Purisima and officer in charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, who is schedule to retire next month.

Constantino said the President asked him about the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident, which left 44 police commandos, and the alleged factions between police officials within the PNP.

Constantino said the issue of retirement was also brought up during the discussion.

“There was also a question about retirement. Maybe he wants to know if our birthdays are after the 2016 elections,” Constantino said. He is scheduled to retire in July 2016 upon reaching 56.

The police officer declined to comment on his chances to land the top PNP post, saying it would be too presumptive.

Asked on how the conversation ended, Constantino said the President wished him “good luck.”

Earlier, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said the selection process was limited to police officials who will retire after the 2016 elections.

This would disqualify Garbo, who is technically next in line to Espina.

Garbo will be retiring in March 2016, or two months before the presidential elections next year.

Espina, who was at Constantino’s donning of ranks, said Garbo was such a “good person that he was considered one of the contenders for the post of PNP chief.”

“He’s one good guy, very hardworking and silent, very jolly. We both love our policemen,” the PNP officer in charge said.

According to Constantino, he has been working with Garbo since 2010 and he has been a “very big influence” in his career.

Petrasanta, who is facing complaints before the Ombudsman and is currently serving his preventive suspension, is perceived to be Aquino’s personal choice for PNP chief.

For his part, Magalong has remained mum on the issue of his being one of the contenders.

Meanwhile, Espina maintained that the selection of the next PNP chief is the sole prerogative of the President.

“You learned that there were police officials interviewed, Constantino included. The President by operation of the law has the sole prerogative to choose among all generals of the PNP,” Espina said.

He said all contenders for the post are very competent. The President also consults with him from time to time on the matter, he added.

However, he declined to comment on why the selection process seems to be taking long.

Espina said the 2016 elections are a serious matter and will need the mobilization of the entire PNP to watch out, especially for election-related violence.

“We have to have a strong police force, and the military of course,” Espina said.