Duterte’s delay in naming PNP chief ‘not a punishment’ to cops — Año

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said President Rodrigo Duterte is not punishing the country’s police force with his refusal to name the next Philippine National Police (PNP) chief despite recommendation given to him.

“Hindi naman para sa akin, hindi yan parusa, talagang ayaw lang ng Pangulo magbigay ng desisyon kung sino habang hindi niya na-pag-aralan lahat,” Año said in a phone interview with reporters at Camp Crame on Thursday when asked if Duterte’s delay on choosing the next PNP chief is a punishment on the “ninja cops” scandal.

(For me, it is not a punishment, the President is just reviewing all the candidates before deciding who will become the next PNP chief.)

Despite this, Año admitted that the President was dismayed over the controversial ninja cops, who are policemen found recycling seized drug evidence.

“He (Duterte) has given everything to the PNP, including, doubling the salary of the police and yet may mga police na gumagawa nito (and yet there are still policemen doing these illegal acts),” he said.

Año also noted that under his watch, he eyes stronger Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and Internal Affairs Service of the PNP to go after errant police officers.

Año has been designated by Duterte to supervise and fix the PNP, the agency that leads the government’s drug war, while choosing the next chief of the police force.