Mayors on narcolist can’t pick top cops, says DILG chief

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines — Newly-elected mayors whose names are included on the so-called narcolist cannot choose the chief of police in their cities and municipalities pending the withdrawal of their police deputation authority, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday.

While the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is pushing for the withdrawal of the police deputation authority of the mayors, Año said the National Police Commission (Napolcom), an attached agency of the DILG, was still consolidating reports and deliberating on the matter.

“With the impending withdrawal of their deputation, they cannot choose their COP [chief of police],” he told INQUIRER.net.

He said he presided the Napolcom en banc meeting on June 28 to discuss the move.

Of the 47 officials in the narcolist announced ahead of the May elections, 37 ran for reelection and 27 won, with local officials formally assuming their posts on Sunday.

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In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said it was expected for newly-elected mayors to choose a new chief of police in their respective areas among the recommendees of the PNP.

But he also said those in the narcolist would be stripped of this “privilege.”

For mayors not in the list, Albayalde said they may request their preferred chief of police, but he or she should be qualified for the job.

“Hindi pwedeng kung sinu-sino ‘yan [o] kung under rank ‘yan. Hindi pwede ‘yun,” he said.

[It should not just be somebody or someone below the required rank. That’s not allowed.]

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)